Safety and security tips for the festive season

The festive season, especially the end of the year/the new year is always a time to look forward to. It is a time of merriment, holidaying, family picnics and all sorts. But unfortunately, it is also a time when crime rates increase drastically especially in cities. Therefore, it is a time to be vigilant and cautious. Here are a few tips for safety and security during the festive period brought to you courtesy of PR24 Risk Management Consulting

1. Ensure doors and windows are locked

This season, homes can be vulnerable to burglars, particularly when they are unoccupied in the late afternoon and early evenings. When leaving the house unattended, make sure all the windows and doors are locked. Pay particular attention to doors and windows at the rear of the house. If you have a shed or garage, do not forget to lock them even if your house is fenced.

2. Illuminate the environment

Most people do not have regular power supply, but if you are one of those people, who can afford an inverter, illuminate your surroundings at night. Burglars like the dark, but an outside-automated light can act as a good deterrent. Also, remember to switch off the lights inside the house when going to bed or going out.

3. Keep things out of sight

Ensure that car keys are kept hidden out of sight especially if you live in estates where apartments are not fenced and do not leave keys to your house under a plant pot outside or a doormat. If you have to make a duplicate key for everyone, please do so. Also, make sure presents and gift items are kept out of sight and after they have been opened, dispose of the boxes properly to ensure the contents of the house are not being advertised unintentionally.

4. Run a check on your security systems

If you have security systems in your house, this season is a good time to run a check and ensure they are still working properly. If you use the service of a security firm and you have alarms fixed in your house, it is advised you run a security drill. Set off the alarm and see how quickly your security company responds. A lot of houses will be empty this season and most especially on December 31st and you don’t want a response time of 1 hour if an intruder is in your house. The drill will let you know if the time agreed as ‘response time’ is adhered to, or if you have to start looking at hiring another security firm.

5. Don’t be ‘too’ discreet

While most of us would like to just sneak out and come back because we do not want everyone to know about our movement, informing your neighbors that you are not going to be around for a few days might help you in the long run. You don’t have to tell them where you are travelling to, but if they know you are not home, and no one is going to be in your house while you are not there, he or she would be able to interrogate anyone seen around your property/house.

6. Clear all tools around the house

So many people are moving into their new homes in a new neighbourhood just before this festive season. If you are one of them, ensure you don’t leave ladders, spades or tools of any kind outside, as they can be used to gain access into your compound and break into your house.

7. Go cashless

When you go to do your shopping, try not to carry around large sums of cash, use your credit and debit cards instead. It is easier to replace the cards than to get back the cash that you lost or were robbed of.

8. Don’t expose your purchases

When you buy your Christmas presents, be it gadgets or any other thing do not leave them on the car seat especially while your car is parked or even while you are driving in traffic. If you have a car that has trunk space, put them in the trunk so they are not seen. If your car doesn’t have much truck space, put the goods on the floor of the car to hide them from the public glare as much as you can.

9. Drive safely

If you are travelling at this period, make sure your car is in top shape. Unless you know all the police checkpoints on the highway you are travelling, it’s advisable you travel during the day. If you are travelling in the afternoon, do not stop if anyone waves any item at you claiming it fell off your car. Always make sure you get to a safe area before you park and check. Ensure you do not drink and drive, obey the road signs and the speed limit and ensure that all passengers in your vehicle are properly secured using seatbelts, and all other safety devices.

The festive season should be a time of relaxation and giving, let’s ensure that we are not giving our belongings to criminals on a platter of gold, and we do not lose our lives due to our recklessness.