Leaving for vacation? Take time to secure your home

MOSES LAKE — After 16 months or so – a long, long time, anyway – of being confined to home, people can finally get out and about, maybe take that vacation planned for last summer.

But that brings up something possibly not thought of for a year or more: an empty house can be an invitation to trouble, like a thief breaking in.

It’s no fun when it happens. The house gets searched and possessions strewn on the floor, jewelry taken. Maybe it hadn’t been worn for years and was worth very little, but it was mom’s jewelry. That computer wasn’t worth stealing, so the thieves broke the screen instead. They did get a favorite necklace, not worth anything, but unique, and basically irreplaceable.

There are ways to make a residence less attractive to thieves. The State Farm Insurance website recommends notifying a security company, assuming one is installed, before leaving, and there are apps that allow residents to keep track of the place remotely. There are devices that alert homeowners when a window or door is opened or a window is broken, as well as motion detectors.

Residents should double-check the alarm setting before they leave, and make sure it’s set properly. One last walk around the house is a good idea, too, to make sure all the doors and windows are locked.

Checking the doors includes the garage and all its doors. Even if the door to the house is locked, there are still things to steal from the garage.

And while someone’s away? Maybe think twice before posting vacation photos on social media. Might be better to wait and post them when the trip’s over. Social media is there for everyone to see, even people who are up to no good.

Lights set on timers are a good idea, both indoors and outdoors. A lot of burglars are just out there taking advantage of an opportunity, like a house that looks like nobody’s home.

An overgrown yard is another tipoff to nefarious people, so arrangements to get the lawn mowed should be made while away. Plants should be trimmed, too, to ensure they don’t give access to upper stories of a house or give cover to people trying to break in.

A spare key is a good thing, but it shouldn’t be left outdoors. Thieves have already scoped out all the popular hiding places for keys and have found the key hidden in that hidden place.