Guest post- Going Away This Summer? Don't Let Your Home Be A Paradise For Burglars!

There is nothing quite as exciting as setting off on your summer holidays, bidding farewell to your home for a couple of weeks and embracing the sunshine of somewhere exotic. However you and your family are not the only ones who are eagerly looking forward to you getting away for a while, as the summer holiday season is a prime time for criminals looking to exploit the empty properties that are left behind.

There could be nothing worse than returning from hard-earned rest and relaxation only to come home to find you have been burgled, saddling you with even more stress than you had to endure before you went away - but what can you do about it? Read on as the experts at Security Solutions Yes Ltd. take you through their top tips for keeping your home secure.

Get Help From Your Neighbours

Criminals who know what they are doing will look out for properties which appear to be currently unoccupied - signs like no cars being on the driveway or the curtains being closed all day or left open all night. By asking your neighbors for some help, you can give the impression of a lived in property for the duration of your holiday.

Ask if they can park their car on your driveway occasionally, and give them a spare key to your house so they can go in and open up the curtains/blinds during the day or close them at night.

Automatic Lights

Less of a problem at the height of summer when it is lighter for longer, but homes that are completely dark throughout the evening are a dead giveaway that a house is currently unoccupied. Moreover, simply leaving the hall light on all the time would not help either as this will appear obvious you are trying to make it look like you are there – when even potential criminals know you are not.

Instead, invest in timers for your lighting and set them to turn on and off at certain times.

Do Not Announce Your Holiday on Social Media

When you are looking forward to going away for the summer it can be tempting to announce it to all of your friends and family about just how excited you are. After all, you can trust your family and best friends, but what about that guy you went to school with 20 years ago and have not really spoken to since. Can you really trust every of your friends who follows you on Twitter?

To be on the safe side wait until you get home, by which time you can shout from the rooftops just how fantastic a time you had and how great you look with your new tan.

This guest blog was written by John Rooney on behalf of Security Solutions Yes Ltd, one of the UK's leading providers of domestic and commercial security services in Norfolk.