Texan Magazine
By Bexar County Sheriff, Javier Salazar
Most people love to post pictures on social media while on vacation, and why not? You work hard. You planned a beautiful vacation and you absolutely deserve some time off.
The problem is, you don’t want to advertise to the world that you are out of town and that your home is unprotected. Believe it or not, criminals can and do monitor your social media. “We are having a great time in paradise for the next few days,” is like blood in the water for criminals. Don’t be fooled. Even if you are very, very careful about who is on your “friends” list, you would be surprised at who can see your posts. Have you ever noticed that sometimes you see posts from people you’re not friends with on social media? It’s because someone you ARE friends with was tagged in the photo. The list goes on about the different ways other people can see your posts.
If you do go out of town, here are some very important tips to keep your home safe when you are away:
KEEP IT QUIET!
Don’t tell anybody you are going out of town, outside of your most trusted inner circle.
WAIT TO POST YOUR PICS
If you’re so inclined to share your vacation images, (and who isn’t?), post your pics AFTER you return. I know it’s tempting to want to share in the moment and excitement of a beautiful vacation with all of your social media friends, ….but wait until you’re back. I repeat, if you want to post your vacation pics, do it AFTER you have returned home. You might want to say something like, “We sure had a great time last week on vacay, but are glad to be back!”
OTHER AWAY FROM HOME SAFETY TIPS
-The best bet is to to make it look like your home is currently occupied.
Have a trusted friend/neighbor/relative come check on your place at least daily. They can turn different lights on or off. They can also leave a TV or music on at different times. Or put lights on a timer to go on and off at random times throughout your home.
-If there is no car left in your driveway, ask your trusted friend to park an extra car there at your home from time to time, if possible.
-If you receive the newspaper, pause your delivery, and also pause your mail delivery. Try not to have packages delivered in your absence.
-Have your trusted friend remove any newspapers, packages, handbills or flyers from your door every morning.
Posting flyers is actually a common way for burglars to check if people are home. If they place a flyer on your door and it’s still there several days later, they know there’s a chance nobody is home.
-Be mindful of trash pick up. Make sure your trash cans are not left out by the curb.
-Have someone try to keep up with lawn maintenance if your absence is extended. Again, DO NOT tell any landscaping companies you will be out of town.
-Make sure all doors are locked, and alarms are constantly set.
Security cameras on all sides of the home are a must. Security lighting on the perimeter of your home should be turned on/off daily by your trusted friend or be set on timers. Constantly leaving lights on your outside perimeter could be a signal to potential burglars that nobody is home.
-It’s also a good idea to not leave valuables inside the home. Jewelry and large sums of cash should be in a safety deposit box at your local bank. Firearms should be removed from the home and kept somewhere safe until your return.
-If your home is currently on the market, pause any showings for the duration of the time you’ll be out of town. Not every potential buyer who asks for a walk-through of your home is an actual buyer! Also, you don’t have to tell your real estate company why you’re pausing showings—just that you don’t want showings for a certain time period.
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO?
-Call your local law enforcement agency to place a “patrol by”on your residence. They will ask who should be there, which cars will be in the driveway, and dates of departure and return. They will then send a patrol officer or deputy to go by the house daily. The Bexar County Sheriff’s office non-emergency number is 210-335-6000. The San Antonio Police Department’s number is 210-207-7273.
Together, we can do things to keep your home safe, prevent crime and greatly lessen the odds that you will be a victim.
Knowing that you took the right steps to give yourself some peace of mind while on vacation makes for a really great vacation, no matter where you may travel.
Enjoy your summer and stay safe!
