INDUSTRY INSIGHT
INSURANCE
SPONSORED CONTENT
THINK LIKE A THIEF
How Social Media Could Make Your Home A Target For Burglars
It ’ s summertime , it ’ s been a long year at work and you ’ re excited to be taking a well-earned week of vacation . So of course it ’ s natural that you would like to share this excitement with friends and family , and what better place than on Facebook . What seems like a harmless update , can advertise your weeklong absence to wrong types of people . Career thieves make their living by knowing when people ’ s homes are at their most vulnerable . In Nashua New Hampshire a crime ring linked to eighteen robberies was apprehended by police . In just one month they had robbed 18 homes by monitoring Facebook pages and determining when a target would be out of their home . Rather than sitting in a car in the neighborhood to case a break in on someone ’ s house , a crafty thief can do this from his home computer on a large scale . Even more dangerous than Facebook are modern day smartphones and certain applications that will broadcast your location to others . One such application is foursquare which allows you to “ check in ” to places you visit , such as restaurants and other locations then automatically post that information publically so that friends know what you are up to . The danger with announcing to the world that you are at your favorite burger Joint , is that it lets everyone know where you definitely are not … home . Even worse some people will even “ check in ” at their own home which broadcasts your exact address publically as well . Be very cautious about any phone application that wants to use your current location via GPS . Make sure if a program has any features that will broadcast your current location and if so make sure that this feature is disabled . Of course social media isn ’ t the only way people can leave their home vulnerable to Burglary , Here are some ways to keep your home safe when on vacation and throughout the year .
Always make your home look occupied , this may mean leaving a couple Lights on , or having them set on timers . If on an extended leave don ’ t let deliveries of mail , newspapers , or flyers build up in your mailbox or front yard . Have your post office hold your mail or have a friend drop by to pick up it up for you daily .
Make it hard for a thief to get into your home . Make sure to keep your garage doors closed and locked . All exterior doors need to have highquality Deadbolt locks , Sliding glass doors are especially vulnerable and should be secured with a bar or large dowel rod to keep them from being opened . Also be sure to not only have lockable windows but to actually close and lock them when you leave the house for short periods of time , it only takes a thief a few minutes to pry open an unlocked window and steal thousands of dollars of your possessions , and carry it out using your own luggage .
Secure the outside as well as the inside of your home . Don ’ t leave ladders out in the yard or any tool that a thief can use to his advantage to get into your home . Having good outside lighting on a motion detector is recommended as well as a whole house security system , and make sure to actually set the security system even if you are only leaving the house for a short period of time . But most Importantly DO NOT leave keys under doormats , in mailboxes or other “ secret ” hiding places , as a professional thief always knows exactly where to look .
So when on vacation be sure to minimize your risk of being targeted by thieves by being careful what you share online . Make your home undesirable to would-be thieves by making it look occupied . Install security features that discourage them from attempting to break in . We at the Bill Flinn Agency wish you a safe and relaxing summer and encourage you to take caution in protecting your home when away . If you would like a free report on how to keep your home safe from thieves feel free to contact us at 412-833-5351 or by using the form at www . billflinnagecy . com
This INdustry INsight was provided by The Bill Flinn Agency .
Bill Flinn Agency Inc
2754 S Park Rd Bethel Park , PA 15102-3858 www . billflinnagency . com
412-833-5351
For the last 40 years The Bill Flinn Agency has been serving the Bethel Park and South Hills communities . Since opening our doors in 1972 our mission has been to treat our customers by the golden rule . Learn more about us at www . billflinnagency . com , or stop by our office on South Park Road in the heart of Bethel .
There are no guarantees in life .
Lifelong peace of mind can be yours with ERIEflex4 ṢM
Let ’ s talk life insurance .
Guaranteed death benefit can extend to age 121 . Guaranteed death benefit will expire if no premiums are paid following initial premium , subsequent premiums are insufficient or account value is reduced by withdrawal or loan . Contact your local ERIE Agent or see the policy for details .
ERIE ® life insurance products and services are provided by Erie Family Life Insurance Company . Information regarding additional terms , conditions , exclusions , licensure and territory information is available at erieinsurance . com / life . Eligibility for insurance coverage will be determined at the time of application , based upon applicable underwriting guidelines and rules in effect at that time . S1603 5 / 14 © 2014 Erie Indemnity Company
Bethel Park | Fall 2017 | icmags . com 29