Enterprise Canada
Saturday, December 16, 2017
There’s nothing that can put a damper on the holidays as quickly as a break-in.
Sadly, not all of us embrace the spirit of giving at the holidays — especially thieves who target homes that have been left vulnerable at this busy time of year.
“Burglaries and thefts generally spike in December and January while many of us are out socializing, shopping or out of town visiting friends and family,” says Gallen Tsui of Skylink Group, a home electronics manufacturer in the Greater Toronto Area. “It’s important to be vigilant and protect yourself from having your holidays ruined by burglars.”
But homeowners are not without options. There are several simple low-tech and high-tech solutions homeowners can take to improve their security:
Low-Tech: Make sure your home looks occupied, even if you’re going to be away for a while. Have a neighbour collect your mail, leave a second car in the driveway instead of the garage and ask someone to shovel your driveway and walkways while you’re gone.
High-Tech: Many people have their outdoor Christmas lights on timers to save on energy, but it’s also wise to have indoor lights in different rooms on timers as well. SkylinkNet allows users to set a timer to turn things on or off at a pre-set time, or setup an “If This Then That” event — if a motion sensor is activated, it will turn on an outdoor light. It can also be controlled remotely with an app on your SmartPhone, or connected to Amazon Alexa to help power your SmartHome.
Low-Tech: Don’t leave a large pile of wrapped or unwrapped presents under the Christmas tree while you’re out — even on day trips — if they are easily visible through a window. Either put your new things somewhere out of sight or draw the curtains or blinds to reduce temptation for would-be thieves.
High-Tech: Protect your home with an alarm system you can control remotely through your SmartPhone. Arm the alarm, get notifications remotely and view what is happening in your home through cameras connected to the app through the SkylinkNet Hub.
Low-Tech: Give sliding doors and windows an extra layer of security beyond their locks. Cut down an old hockey stick or similar piece of wood or metal to create stops that will prevent sliding doors and windows from being jiggled open from the outside.
High-Tech: Add sensors to your doors and windows that can trigger your alarm if an intruder is trying to open them. To make your home an even less-appealing target to intruders, set up an event to turn on all the lights in the house when the door is opened, as well as and outdoor flashing siren.
