IF you and your family are planning to go away during the April holidays, CPF offers some ways you could follow to protect your property:
Ask someone to empty your post box on a regular basis. Report the period of absence to the CPF Patrollers.
Inform your neighbours and request them to be on the lookout for suspicious people in the area.
Remove valuable or attractive items from view through windows.
You may also persuade a friend to keep your lawn neatly mowed and perhaps park a car in your driveway from time to time.
Do not close curtains or blinds during the day, as they are a dead giveaway.
See to it that your garage door with is fitted with a strong lock.
Before you leave, close all windows, lock all external doors and remove all keys from locks.
Don’t publicise your break-away plans.
Request neighbours or a friend to put your dustbins out on collecting days (they can put some of their garbage or junk mail in your dustbin).
If in doubt about the safety of an area, phone the police and CPF for advice.
Never leave smaller valuable items such as jewellery, watches, portable radios, clothing, cameras or purses on an inside ledge or within arm’s length of open windows. Not even if you have burglar bars.
A dark house is a signal that you are out, use a timer for your lights, radio or TV to give your apartment an occupied look.
Sliding glass doors offer access if they are not properly secured. To prevent the door lifted off the track, drill a hole through the sliding door frame and the fixed frame, insert a pin or a safety catch.
Ensure that you test your alarm before you depart on holiday, don’t wait until the day before in case the alarm needs repairing.
