We talk a lot about saving money and earning money for financial freedom, but today I want to address loss prevention, that is, preventing your hard-earned possessions from being stolen.
According to our county police department, robbery and home crime goes on the rise in the summertime. There are a number of reasons for this. Families go on vacation, leaving homes unattended, older kids are out of school and may want to cause some mischief in the form of vandalism, people are more relaxed and often leave doors and garages unlocked.
You may have a thief watching your home right now, waiting to make his move.
Fortunately, a little vigilance is usually all that it take in order to prevent summer crime from hitting your family.
Keep Car Doors Locked
Many times junior thieves won’t risk breaking into a home but have no problem stealing from the cars parked outside. Always lock your car, even if it is in your own driveway, and keep valuable items, such as purses, cell phones or portable GPS devices out of sight. Petty thieves won’t risk breaking a car window unless they see something in the car that is worth the effort.
Keep Doors, Including the Garage Door, Locked
Skilled thieves can enter your front door, steal a few things and exit without notice while you are in the backyard enjoying your pool or cook out. Keep your doors locked whenever possible, and this includes the garage door as well. Thieves often find it easy to enter a home through its garage.
Vacation Smarts
Before you head off to a vacation, make a few preparations, such as asking a neighbor or friend to bring in the mail and keep an eye on your house. You may even want to ask them to move your car around if you won’t be taking it with you, so it looks like you are still home.