Peace of mind while you're away

ADVICE ON KEEPING YOUR HOME SECURE
Everyone needs a holiday sometime. And however much you love your home, there's nothing like a change of surroundings.
But you want to come home and find everything as you left it. Four out of five burglaries occur when a house or flat is empty, so don't advertise that you're away on holiday.

PLAN AHEAD
The checklist below will help you to keep your house secure.
Note it so that you can plan ahead.

HELP FROM YOUR NEIGHBOURS
It's also a good idea to get help from your neighbours. Ask them to keep an eye on your home while you are away.
You could also ask them to collect post left in the letter-box, sweep up leaves, even mow the lawn and generally make the place look lived in.
You can repay the favour by doing the same for them. Warn your key-holding neighbour not to put your surname, address or even your house number on your keys in case they fall into the wrong hands.

Is there a Neighbourhood Watch scheme where you live? It could help you keep your home secure while you're away, and as many other crime prevention and community benefits.

Tell your local police station that you'll be away.

CHECKLIST

• Help reduce the risk of your home being broken into by taking some simple home security measures. The free handbook 'Practical Ways to Crack Crime' has over a hundred tips on preventing crime. To get a copy, ask your local police station or write to the Home Office, Crack Crime, PO Box 999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 6FS, or ring 0181 569 7000.
  
• Leave small valuable items, like jewellery, on deposit at the bank, or consider installing a small floor safe. Don't lock internal doors or desks - they may be forced if someone does break in.
  
• Mark any other valuable items with your postcode followed by your house number or the first two letters of your house name. Then if they are stolen and later found, the police can identify and return them to you. Use the right security marker - DIY shops sell property marking kits. Ask your local crime prevention officer for 'postcoded property' warning stickers to display in the front and back windows of your house. Also take photos of all valuable items. This is particularly important for those which may be unsuitable for marking.
  
• Arrange for pets to be properly looked after.
  
• Cut the lawns before you go.
  
• Cancel deliveries of milk, newspapers, etc., discreetly - don't announce your departure to a shop full of people. Only tell people who need to know you're going away.
  
• Make sure your house looks occupied. Closed curtains in the daytime make it look as if no one is at home. It is worthwhile to get automatic time-switches to switch lights - and a radio - on and off in downstairs rooms.
  
• Don't leave valuable items like TVs, videos or hi-fi visible through windows.
  
• Lock the garage and shed with proper security locks, after putting all your tools safely away so they cannot be used to break into your house. If you have to leave a ladder out, put it on its side and lock it to a secure fixture with a 'close-shackle' padlock and heavy-duty chain.
  
• Don't have your home address showing on your luggage for the outward journey. Put this only on the inside of your cases.
  
• Finally, lock all outside doors and windows. If you have a burglar alarm, make sure it is set - and that you have told the police who the key-holder is.
  
• And just before you actually set off, it's worth allowing a quiet couple of minutes on the doorstep to check you've done all you had to do and taken everything you need with you.