By following these rules, you can prevent your gifts from falling into the hands of others this year

Last modified on Thursday, December 9, 2021 05.52 EST

When you go out or sleep, please check whether you have closed and locked all doors and windows. Don't leave your key in the lock when you are inside, because thieves may get the key through the mailbox.

Think about your family calendar. Diane Ivory said she is a former Scotland Yard crime scene inspector who runs an education and entertainment company called Forensic Minds. "If your departure date is displayed and can be seen through the window, please be careful," she said.

Thieves can hide behind big pots and hedges and let them reach your home where others cannot see, so if you can, keep them low-key.

Turn on the light on the timer and turn on the radio to make it look and sound as if someone is at home.

Put a pile of clothes on the ironing board. "It looks like you just jumped out (but don't leave the iron on all the time)," Ivory said.

Naomi Willis from SkintDad's blog suggests to enable the free "watchdog skill" on Alexa. "It allows you to activate it remotely to cause barking and growling sounds," she said.

When all the trash cans on the street are outside except your trash can, or only your trash can is outside, this may reveal the fact that no one is at home, so ask friends or neighbors to also throw your trash can Go out and throw it back.

If you have a car and your car is usually on it, ask them to park it there so that it looks like someone is at home.

Toni Frost said that using her 22 years of police experience, please check the weather forecast when you leave. If leaves or snow fall on your door and have not been removed, this may indicate that no one is coming in or out.

Post accumulation may be another giveaway. Frost said that if you plan to travel long distances, Royal Mail's Keepsafe service will save your mail when you leave.

It costs £16 and covers a 10-day period. Conversely, if you have friends who come to find your post, remind them to put it out of sight.

It can be tempting to post photos online while you are on vacation—or that you are resting or going out overnight—but it will let people know that you are not at home.

If someone tagged you while you were away, remove the tag. Facebook will notify you when this happens, so please select "remove tag" in the post.

James Bores from Bores Security Consultancy said criminals obtain information from social media. "For someone with the correct search knowledge, determine someone’s identity, find their address, determine where the photo was taken, friends, relatives, colleagues, where and when they went on vacation, and almost anything else that has ever been done Things are fairly easy to make public," he said.

"Too much personal data has been leaked over the years. It is almost guaranteed that your address and phone number will be recorded somewhere. Anyone who knows where to go can pay a few pounds to access these details... "

NimbleFins Insurance analyzed crime and burglary statistics in the annual crime survey in England and Wales and found that thieves often knew their victims. "A quarter of burglaries are committed by someone familiar with the victim; in one-fifth of the cases, they can see or talk with them. In more than half of the incidents (57%), the burglars are Completely unfamiliar," it said.

From the moment you get them to the moment you give them, be careful who sees what you are buying.

Do not leave gifts in the car unattended, otherwise opportunistic thieves will smash the glass and run away.

Avoid opening the trunk when unloading the truck-even if you have to deal with luggage, children and other requirements.

Hidden gifts. Leaving them around the tree is advertising to potential thieves, so photos of them are also posted online.

Unpack and don't put your branded box next to the trash can to promote the things in your house.

If someone breaks in, building and property insurance will cover your house-as long as you meet all policy requirements.

Check with your insurance company whether any alarms and/or security cameras must be activated every time you leave the property.

Take photos of your property and keep the photos properly. For Christmas gifts and other new products, please keep the receipt. If you need to make a claim, these will serve as proof of ownership.

If you use a shed or garage to hide your gifts, check if they will be covered before leaving them there.

Check your policy to see if it will automatically increase the content of the insurance by a fixed percentage during the Christmas period to reflect any increase in value. After Christmas, evaluate the value of gifts such as jewelry and increase the policy limit accordingly.

If you do not take reasonable measures to protect your house and property, your insurance may lapse.

The insurance company is likely to research your social media, believe that you have not taken reasonable measures to protect yourself, and refuse to pay.