Staying safe during the holidays takes planning

It’s the time of year when many homes are filled with new electronic devices, packaged toys and other goodies – and unsavory people know it.

Security experts said Monday that holiday shoppers and homeowners need to take extra precautions while out Christmas shopping or traveling away from home.

Burglar alarms, deadbolts and other security measures are all good ideas, experts said. It’s up to the homeowner and what they can afford to put those to use.

“In general we see a little increase in break-ins (at Christmastime),” said Matt Hoffman, the owner of Hoffman Electronic Systems in Atwater.

He said this year, the Christmas season seems to be particularly busy. More and more homeowners are looking for alarms and other protections.

Becoming more popular, he said, are security cameras that film a home’s doorway. Modern cameras look for motion and will immediately send an email to a smartphone if, for example, a package is dropped off on a doorstep and if it’s taken by someone else.

Buying a doorknob at a home improvement store could be problematic, he said, because others can buy one with a similar key. Instead, he recommends having the door locks installed by a locksmith.

Vacationers should also leave lights on to appear to be home, he said, and should avoid leaving valuables in view from unobstructed windows.

It’s also a good idea to hold off on selfies and social media posts that tell anyone whose watching that you’re not home, he said. Even though vacationers may trust their social media “friends,” the online postings on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or other sites can become visible to others from other circles, he noted. An untrustworthy person may be able to see the vacationer is not home.

“I definitely recommend you do those postings after the trip,” he said.

For those shopping for Christmas gifts at night, Capt. Tom Trindad said, “be aware of your surroundings.”

He said most of the precautions are common sense, including locking car doors, hiding any packages from plain view and parking in well-lit areas. He also recommends shoppers pull their keys from their pockets before leaving a store to shorten the amount of time they might stand outside their cars.

Experts commonly recommend leaving a purse at home or wearing one that slings across the body. Never leave a purse in a shopping cart and never leave a car running unattended.

Another tool for protecting homes, Trinidad said, is starting a Neighborhood Watch program.

“We still strongly suggest that you do that,” he said. “It’s always nice to have somebody to keep an eye on your home.”

To start a Neighborhood Watch in Merced, call Eugene Drummond Jr. at 209-385-6297.

This story was originally published December 7, 2015 at 5:18 PM with the headline "Staying safe during the holidays takes planning."