Tips for the Holidays
November 30, 2016
Wayne County Sheriff Jody Ashley is urging residents to take a few simple precautions so their homes don’t become easy targets while they are away for the holidays. Ashley said many people travel during the holidays, and criminals often use this time of the year to burglarize homes. With social media now so immensely popular, criminals have an easier time of identifying homes that are empty during the holidays. “Be careful of what you post on social media while you’re on a trip,” Ashley said. “A number of criminals search through social media outlets to see who is home for the holidays and who is not. “Posting photos and comments about the wonderful trip you are having could be a read as letting people know that you are out of town and your home is vulnerable. Sometimes, what we think is an innocent posting on social media is, in fact, a calling card for your home to be broken into. Just be careful and think about what you are posting this year.”Ashley also offered the following tips to secure your home while you are away for the holidays: Let your neighbors know that you are leaving and when you are expected to return. • If possible, have family members come by and move your cars around the drive- way so that it looks like someone has been home recently.• Purchase a timer that will turn your interior lights off and on at certain times of the day.“We want everyone to have a happy and safe holiday season,” Ashley said. “Part of that is making sure that you don’t return home to a house that has been broken into. “Taking just a few common sense steps to secure your home before you leave on a trip can help insure that you come home to a pleasant situation.”