3 Ways to Protect your Porch this Halloween

Happy Halloween from us here at the Package Guard. We hope that your holiday is positively frightful! To help, here’s some tips to protect your porch and keep your house safe on this spooky holiday.Halloween can be a good night for crime. According to James Alan Fox, there is a spike in crime rates on Halloween (and on Christmas and New Year’s). Why could that be? Most days of the year, if you or your neighbors see people wandering the neighborhood, you’ll probably think it’s suspicious. If that person happens to be wearing a mask, you’ll definitely think something’s up, and you’ll probably call the police. On Halloween, it’s no big thing. Everyone is out wearing masks and wandering around the neighborhood. While Fox is talking about violent crime, Halloween’s also a higher risk day for property crime including burglary, theft, and vandalism. With all those people out and about, it’s worth making sure you’re doing the basics to keep your home safe on Halloween. Turn on the lights. This could be with spooky decorations or not, but if the house is lit up, people will think someone’s home dissuading people from breaking in, vandalizing, and generally causing mischief. You could even use lighting as part of your holiday decorations. Plus, good lighting makes it easier for neighbors to see if anyone’s snooping around your house.Ask a neighbor. If you’re going to be home and giving out candy to trick-or-treaters you’ll be there to keep an eye on things, but if you’re going out, then you might ask a neighbor to pay attention to your house. We’ve talked about this a lot, but a tight-knit neighborhood community is one of the best steps in home security. If you’re already close with your neighbors, asking them to keep an eye out on Halloween is a small request. If you’re not close, why not start now. With a friendly neighbor watching, you won’t have to worry about what’s going on at home (just make sure you offer to reciprocate when they go out). Don't be a target. While making your house look watched and occupied is a big part of home security on any night, keeping your yard clean and valuables out of sight is particularly important on Halloween. Halloween is not only a big night for theft, but it’s also a big night for vandalism. Much of the vandalism, like smashed pumpkins (not the band) and TP’d houses, is pretty harmless, but sometimes the vandalism is more serious like slashed tires or broken windows. To prevent vandalism to your car, consider parking it in the garage instead of on the street if you’re leaving it at home. The old adage, “out of sight, out of mind” is a good rule of thumb.A bit of extra care on Halloween can keep the night safe and fun for everyone! We hope you have a wonderful holiday, however you choose to celebrate it!