Plus, expert tactics to prevent break-ins.
Most break-ins are crimes of opportunity. Burglars typically wait for you to leave before they strike. They want it to be clean and easy—and they don’t want to get caught! They might case your house before they decide to target it, learning your habits and looking for clues that you’ll be away for an extended period of time. Because that’s the perfect time to break in. Want to know one of the sneaky best ways to put them off your trail? Make it difficult for them to know what your habits are.
Yes, security cues like alarm systems can be helpful and are important, but burglars also look for “occupancy cues,” or “giveaways that tell them whether you’re home,” security and intelligence professional K. Campbell, principal at Blue Glacier Security & Intelligence LLC, says. “If you go away for even a few days, such as for a long weekend, your home might lack occupancy cues.”Lights and TVs turning on and off, blinds going up and town, newspapers getting picked up—these are all occupancy cues. Luckily, it’s never been easier to fake them when you’re out of town. Smart home tech makes it simple to ensure your home looks occupied, even if you’re far, far away, as long as you have WiFi. Short of that, you can always have a friend, family member, or the dog sitter come by and make the place look lived-in.
Before you head to the airport or pack up the car, keep reading to learn about eight signs burglars look for to know you’re not at home, and get our home security experts’ tactics to protect your house from theft while you’re away.
When you’re home, you probably turn the lights on and off at night as you go about your evening routine. If your house remains dark all night long, that’s a pretty clear sign that no one’s there.
You can try setting your lights on timers to keep things illuminated while you’re away, fooling any stalkers. But there’s an even better option for burglary prevention: “To really make it seem like your house is occupied, install smart lights that you can control remotely,” says Rob Gabriele, managing editor and home security expert at SafeHome.org. That way you can keep your lighting situation random, making it look more authentic. For extra credit, you can also use a TV light simulator to make it look like someone’s watching TV.
Burglars often “case” a house for awhile before breaking in, studying it to identify security and occupancy cues specific to the home and its owners. If you always park your car in the driveway and a burglar sees it missing one night, they could realize you’re not home. On the flip side, if you’ve taken a taxi to the airport and left your car in the driveway, a burglar might take note that the car hasn’t moved in days. To avoid this, it’s best to have a neighbor, family member, or friend park their car in your driveway from time to time or even move your car for you.
When a mound of Amazon boxes grows outside your front door, that’s a clear indication no one’s home to bring them in. The same goes for newspapers that are lining the driveway or mailboxes that are overflowing. The solution is simple: Have someone pick up your mail for you while you’re out of town.
If you’re gone for an extended period of time, careful observers could take note of a usually well-manicured lawn becoming somewhat unkempt. “To keep burglars away while you’re on vacation, hire help for lawn maintenance,” advises Gabriele.
Related: 9 Reasons Your Lawn Looks Worse Than Your Neighbor's
You may be spend winter break in sunny Florida while your local burglar is hard at work. Depending on where you live, if you’re away during the cold months, a snowstorm could easily give away the fact that you’re not home. If you haven’t plowed your driveway or shoveled the front walk for a few days after snowfall, burglars might catch on that this is their moment. (You might also get a ticket from the town, but that's a whole other problem.) As with lawn care, it’s best to hire someone to take care of this for you while you’re gone. It wouldn’t hurt to have a few sets of footprints coming into and out of your house too.
If you typically open and close your blinds every day, a potential burglar might notice if they consistently remain in one position. “Incorporate smart blinds in your home, and set a schedule for them to open and close automatically while you’re away,” Kim Wright, director of corporate security at ADT and a former FBI special agent, suggests.
Again, any deviation from your typical home routine can indicate your house is vacant. “Most burglars often stake out a victim’s place before putting their plan into action, potentially knowing the schedule of your neighborhood, such as trash collection day,” Wright says. “I recommend asking a trusted friend, family member, or neighbor to place your trash bins outside when trash day comes around.”
Nothing says “I’m not home” like a constant stream of vacation content on your social media profiles. That’s not to say you can’t post at all, but you should be judicious about what you’re posting. “While it’s tempting to showcase your fantastic trip, publicly revealing information such as departure dates and duration of absence can invite potential risks back home, such as theft of packages or break-ins,” says Wright. Generally speaking, it’s best to save the vacation posts for after you’ve returned home.
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