In the U.S a home break-in occurs every 15.4 seconds! Although home burglaries may seem random in occurrence, they actually involve a selection process. Burglars look for an unoccupied home with the easiest access, the greatest amount of cover, and with the best escape routes. Here are a couple of simple things you can do to give the illusion of occupancy when you’re out of the house.

• Arrange to have mail and newspaper delivery stopped or picked up by a friend or neighbor. Also consider whether you need to ask someone to remove garbage receptacles from the street, have snow shoveled, or grass mowed.
• Ask a trusted neighbor to park in your driveway or move your car occasionally so it looks like someone is coming and going.
• Set lights and TVs on a timer and set them up according to your regular schedule.
• The practice of leaving the garage or porch lights turned on all day is a dead giveaway that you are out of town. Use light timers or photo-cells to turn outside lights on and off automatically.
• Don’t post vacation plans on Facebook or Twitter! Ask the kiddos not to either. Burglaries are committed most often by young males under 25 years of age.

Before you leave, make sure windows and doors are closed and latched securely. A solid, pick-resistant deadbolt lock and motion-activated exterior lights are great things to install. Remember – burglars generally take the path of least resistance!