Are you one of the Swedes planning to be away on Christmas Eve? Here are the security measures you should take to reduce the risk of burglary.
A new survey from If shows that one in three Swedes plan to travel away over Christmas. If you are one of those who will not be at home on Christmas Eve, it may be worth taking some measures to reduce the risk of burglary. December is a particularly burglary-affected month, even though residential burglaries during December have decreased in recent years.
This increases the risk of burglary
“Although villas are affected to a greater extent than apartments, apartment owners should also make sure to take security measures to prevent crime. If it is obvious that you are away over, for example, the Christmas holiday, the risk of burglary increases,” says Jenny Rudslätt, head of claims at If.
Some of the initiatives that prevent crime according to If are Neighborhood cooperation, hidden valuables, lighting and mail handling. If you have an alarm, it is good if it is external sound so that the surroundings can hear.
What is it that the thieves are after? It is mainly things that are easy to carry with you that are at risk of being stolen, such as jewellery, watches, home electronics (e.g. mobile phones, computers, tablets), branded bags and passports.
“For those who worry about having a lot of valuables at home, it may be relevant to get a bank safe or safe,” says Rudslätt.
Here are If’s collected tips to protect yourself against burglary:
1. Have locks on front doors and lock windows, balcony and patio doors if you live in a house or on the ground floor.
2. If it is snowing outside and you are away, it is good to ask, for example, a neighbor to stomp around in the snow outside the house and take in the mail.
3. Put lighting on timer. Do you control the lights with an app? Turn it on and off at different times to make the home look more lived-in.
4. Brush brand DNA onto your valuables and place the included stickers where they are clearly visible.
5. Do not leave valuables in front so that they can be seen through windows, but feel free to lay out clothes, books and magazines so that it looks like you are at home.
6. Store your valuables in a safety deposit box or safety deposit box. If you don’t have any of these – then hide the valuables at home.
