24
Jun
2015
By Calvin at 10:12 GMT, 8 years ago
Can you ever feel relaxed about your home when you’re on holiday? If you can’t then maybe there is some more you can do. Now that my two sons have moved out, my house stands empty when I’m away, but for the first time ever I feel pretty laid back about it.......
Last night I got back from a week’s holiday in and around Devon; probably the most sumptuous and grass smelling county in all of England. Both Julia and I have family in the county and, with Julia at the helm of our social planning, the week was full to the brim with activity. There were several highlights, including a visit to see Aunty Flo (the lady I feature in my guidance about bogus callers – now 95!); a trip with my mother to the neighbouring county to visit the Lost Gardens of Heligan, that fantastic ‘tropical’ garden nestling in a valley close to Mevagissey, a shopping trip to my birth place, Exeter; a couple of alcoholic days in the town of Brixham where we participated in the annual trawler race weekend (Links below) and, finally, a very pleasant afternoon and evening with friends who live in Sidmouth. What a week that was!
When we got back it dawned on me that I hadn’t once thought about my house! I reckon that is probably the first time I’ve done that (or not done that) and I suppose it’s because I’ve made so many security improvements during the past couple of years I can at last relax in the knowledge that I’ve probably done all that I can do to keep the b’stards out.
My home’s security isn’t particularly special, but it is effective and having secured the place before leaving, set the alarm, the timed lights and fake TV and hidden anything of particular value in the safe I was able to leave it all behind with a sort of que sera, sera attitude. Had something bad happened my house alarm would have gone off and messaged me and my son. Ben would have popped over to the house to knock the burglar on the head or call the police.
So, it really does work! Have some decent security in place, hide the crown jewels in the safe, turn the guard dog on (alarm) and make sure you’re insured (and do all they ask of you) and you can relax in the knowledge that at least you did all you could have done and the insurers will come to the rescue should Bill pay you a visit.
Lots of you will be going on holiday shortly, so here’s a quick list of the things I do:
- Make sure the house is physically secured to the standards I recommend on The Crime Prevention Website
- Tidy up the garden and make sure all tools and valuable things are locked away
- Set the timers for a number of lights around the house to make it look as if my home is occupied when it isn’t
- Set the fake TV
- Lock away valuables in my insurance rated safe
- Set the alarm, making sure I have at least two keyholders who can attend if the thing goes off
- Arrange for my neighbour to collect the mail from my mail box (I don’t have a letter plate in the door), park one of his cars on my driveway and generally keep an eye on the place (I do the same for him when they’re away)
Brixham Trawler Race Links:
Torquay Herald: http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/Brixham-Trawler-Race-hailed-great-day/story-26738349-detail/story.html
Port of Brixham Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/brixhamtrawlerrace
You can read more and print off a holiday security checklist at this page: http://thecrimepreventionwebsite.com/home-security-assessment/469/holiday-checklist-for-your-security/
Get your security right and be laid back on holiday!
