A criminal's best friend is darkness.
During the end of the year, when the days grow short, many people leave for work and come back home in darkness.
This necessitates particular attention to one's personal safety and the safety of their property.
When leaving the home, scan your surroundings and turn on your porch light if it's dark outside.
Having a quick look out the peephole before you open the door is never a bad idea as it provides you with a wide view of the area you're about to step into.
Turn on garage lights or outside flood lights before you head out to your car.
In the case of outdoor lighting, this is yet another reason to consider motion-activated lights.
It will not only put you in the spotlight as you head out to your vehicle but it will also make it virtually impossible for someone to hide in the shadows.
These devices are very sensitive and any human sized object moving within their range will trigger them.
Remember to arm your home alarm system as soon as you exit the house if you're the last person to leave.
As you enter your car, scan the area around it for trouble before approaching.
If there is someone about with nefarious ends in mind, those ends likely involve taking your vehicle, gaining entry to the house or both.
Awareness is your greatest ally in this case.
With motion-detecting lights, you should have a heads up to any potential trouble.
When you approach the car, keep your keys in your hand to defend yourself, if need be, and don't trigger the automatic door locks until you're within arm's reach of the car.
You should get in and start the vehicle in one quick motion.
Many drivers sit in their car for several minutes fussing with the seatbelt and other items before starting the vehicle.
Starting the vehicle first allows you to pull away at the first sign of trouble.
Always wear your seatbelt, of course, but have your vehicle running before you put it on.
If you're arranging items on the seat, you're not aware of what's going on around the vehicle and, for a criminal, this is opportunity.
The better alarm systems today come equipped with a key fob device that allows you to arm your alarm remotely.
It's a great way to double check and make sure you've turned your system on before you leave the driveway.
When you come home, reverse the above procedures and scan the driveway for trouble before you exit your car.
If you're entering a garage, you should have a means of turning on the lights remotely so that you're spared entering a darkened building.
Your alarm company will likely be able to greatly enhance the security of your home with devices that allow remote control of the alarm itself and, in some cases, the ability to turn on the house lights remotely as well.
Be sure to ask!
During the end of the year, when the days grow short, many people leave for work and come back home in darkness.
This necessitates particular attention to one's personal safety and the safety of their property.
When leaving the home, scan your surroundings and turn on your porch light if it's dark outside.
Having a quick look out the peephole before you open the door is never a bad idea as it provides you with a wide view of the area you're about to step into.
Turn on garage lights or outside flood lights before you head out to your car.
In the case of outdoor lighting, this is yet another reason to consider motion-activated lights.
It will not only put you in the spotlight as you head out to your vehicle but it will also make it virtually impossible for someone to hide in the shadows.
These devices are very sensitive and any human sized object moving within their range will trigger them.
Remember to arm your home alarm system as soon as you exit the house if you're the last person to leave.
As you enter your car, scan the area around it for trouble before approaching.
If there is someone about with nefarious ends in mind, those ends likely involve taking your vehicle, gaining entry to the house or both.
Awareness is your greatest ally in this case.
With motion-detecting lights, you should have a heads up to any potential trouble.
When you approach the car, keep your keys in your hand to defend yourself, if need be, and don't trigger the automatic door locks until you're within arm's reach of the car.
You should get in and start the vehicle in one quick motion.
Many drivers sit in their car for several minutes fussing with the seatbelt and other items before starting the vehicle.
Starting the vehicle first allows you to pull away at the first sign of trouble.
Always wear your seatbelt, of course, but have your vehicle running before you put it on.
If you're arranging items on the seat, you're not aware of what's going on around the vehicle and, for a criminal, this is opportunity.
The better alarm systems today come equipped with a key fob device that allows you to arm your alarm remotely.
It's a great way to double check and make sure you've turned your system on before you leave the driveway.
When you come home, reverse the above procedures and scan the driveway for trouble before you exit your car.
If you're entering a garage, you should have a means of turning on the lights remotely so that you're spared entering a darkened building.
Your alarm company will likely be able to greatly enhance the security of your home with devices that allow remote control of the alarm itself and, in some cases, the ability to turn on the house lights remotely as well.
Be sure to ask!