Imagine returning from your holiday to find your windows broken, your cars and possessions stolen and your pets gone. Your space has been violated.

Relax it shouldn't be necessary to answer that because with the proper preparation you can discourage intruders and have a carefree vacation.

Worry shouldn't be on the agenda when you are vacationing. Your holiday is a treat that should be enjoyed without stressing about the safety of your home. By planning ahead you minimize your risk of something going wrong while you are gone.

Depending on how long you will be gone there are a few common sense things you can do for your home, pets and possessions.

Discourage thieves by getting a house sitter. This is the best way to ward off trouble. If you know someone who will regularly stop by your house - water your plants and turn on the lights you are lucky. If you have animals you might want to think about hiring a house sitter for while you are away. This way your pets are properly cared for and your home is safer. Peace of mind is worth some extra money. If you are going to hire a house sitter - make sure you use reliable and trustworthy service! Ask around.

If you can't get a house sitter the goal is to make your house look lived in. It's a good idea to have a trusted neighbor to look after your home. Someone who can keep an eye on your property and who has a contact number for you should anything go wrong.

There are all kinds of timers you can buy that make it seem like there are people in your house. Light timers and radio timers can be very effective in deterring criminals.

Think about the state of your lawn before you leave. Overgrown grass is a loud signal that there is nobody home.

If you are going to be gone long enough for your post to pile up make an arrangement with a neighbor to pick it up - a pile of unopened mail is an obvious signal to criminals that nobody is home.

Even if you aren't going away for a long time there are some things that you need to do every time you leave the house.
- Always lock your door and leave a key with someone to check on your home while you are gone.

- Turn on the radio/TV and leave some lights on

- Do not leave your spare key under the doormat or in any of the equally obvious hiding places. Rather give a copy to someone else and don't have a spare key anywhere in your garden while you are home. If you MUST hide your key on the property be creative! That blue rock in the backyard under the tree behind the shed is a better/safer bet.

-Develop a reciprocal relationship with your neighbors. Watch their houses when they are away; keep your eyes and ears open for strange happenings and ask them to do the same for you. Group0 together and form a neighborhood watch of some sort
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If you follow these tips you can be sure your chances are good that you will return to a secure house. If something has happened while you were out; here are some signs to look for

- Broken windows or door should be a major alert that something is wrong. Don't go inside! Call the police and have them check the property.

- If you think you have been broken into don't touch anything; you want to keep the scene preserved for investigation.