Are you travelling half way around the world for a long time? Or even around the corner for five minutes. You could come back and find the front door locked from the inside. What does that mean? In 2020 Carolyn Flack's friend was on suicide watch for her friend, popped out to the shops and came back to find her friend dead. In the same week, two members of my family arrived home to find their house burgles. What to do? I asked the police as well as several friends, family members, everybody I knew around the world.
The best way is to have a trusted family member move in. Some people employ a permanent housekeeper or maid or a temporary house sitter or somebody who looks after the pets and is an unofficial house sitter.
If you live in an area of high burglary, take extra precautions.
Prevention and Precaution
Photograph your house and items of value and receipts before leaving, so that if there is any police report of loss, or to identify items found (if they arrest a burglar and find items on them.
You can install lights to make the place look busy in the evening. Ask a trusted neighbour tih a key to check the post is not overflowing and maybe move the car. Inform other neighbours who is scheduled to visit.
Gardeners
You might have the gardeners and window cleaners to have access to the front or side or back.
If you have any misgivings, you can also install lights to come on at the sides and back and front of the house. Also a camera inside.
House Sitting And Visits
Keep the numbers of neighbours, police, and family, on both phones for your two homes or two offices, to avoid roaming charges and be sure you can call instantly.
If Burgled
If you should return and find the place has been disturbed, phone the family first to check who called and when.
Latch!
If the front door latch is on, the burglars might be inside or escaping from the back.
Safety When Checking
Do not enter alone without telling anybody. Worst case scenario: You could be attacked. you could find your loved one or house sitter has been killed or died and the door locked from inside by them or others.
So, just in case, leave one person outside and in contact by phone and shouting and phone to warn another family member who is not with you.
Undisturbed Scene And Fingerprints
Wear gloves and avoid adding your finger prints to the entry points to the house and any flat surfaces which could contain an intruder's prints.
Call the police immediately.
Insurance
Note how soon you need to inform insurance. It helps to have photos and/or records of purchases.
Ebay has records going back about two years (depending on the time of year). In February 2020 I checked. An arrow at the top of the page section lets you choose this year, least year and the previous year. I suppose they have too many to record all purchases. This is a shame.
Prevention is better than cure.
About the Author
Angela Lansbury is a travel writer and photographer.
The best way is to have a trusted family member move in. Some people employ a permanent housekeeper or maid or a temporary house sitter or somebody who looks after the pets and is an unofficial house sitter.
If you live in an area of high burglary, take extra precautions.
Prevention and Precaution
Photograph your house and items of value and receipts before leaving, so that if there is any police report of loss, or to identify items found (if they arrest a burglar and find items on them.
You can install lights to make the place look busy in the evening. Ask a trusted neighbour tih a key to check the post is not overflowing and maybe move the car. Inform other neighbours who is scheduled to visit.
Gardeners
You might have the gardeners and window cleaners to have access to the front or side or back.
If you have any misgivings, you can also install lights to come on at the sides and back and front of the house. Also a camera inside.
House Sitting And Visits
Keep the numbers of neighbours, police, and family, on both phones for your two homes or two offices, to avoid roaming charges and be sure you can call instantly.
If Burgled
If you should return and find the place has been disturbed, phone the family first to check who called and when.
Latch!
If the front door latch is on, the burglars might be inside or escaping from the back.
Safety When Checking
Do not enter alone without telling anybody. Worst case scenario: You could be attacked. you could find your loved one or house sitter has been killed or died and the door locked from inside by them or others.
So, just in case, leave one person outside and in contact by phone and shouting and phone to warn another family member who is not with you.
Undisturbed Scene And Fingerprints
Wear gloves and avoid adding your finger prints to the entry points to the house and any flat surfaces which could contain an intruder's prints.
Call the police immediately.
Insurance
Note how soon you need to inform insurance. It helps to have photos and/or records of purchases.
Ebay has records going back about two years (depending on the time of year). In February 2020 I checked. An arrow at the top of the page section lets you choose this year, least year and the previous year. I suppose they have too many to record all purchases. This is a shame.
Prevention is better than cure.
About the Author
Angela Lansbury is a travel writer and photographer.
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