Summer isn’t over yet, and burglary is still at its peak. So here are just some last minute reminders for holidaymakers about to go on long vacations, brought to you by This Is Aberdeen UK:

“Grampian Police have issued advice to reduce the number of break-ins during the summer break.

They advise making make sure homes continue to look like someone is living there.

Not closing curtains and getting timer switches to turn nights on at night can all help to make the home look occupied..

Police also suggest you fit mortice locks to all outside doors and make sure milk or newspaper deliveries are cancelled.

Cut the lawn before going on vacation and trim back any plants that thieves could hide behind.

Also get a friend or neighbour to look after the house and leave them with a contact number.

Don’t leave valuables, like your TV, hi-fi or DVD player in easy view and mark valuable items with your postcode and house number using a UV pen.

Do not put a home address on luggage when travelling to a holiday destination.

And lock everything up, including the garage and shed.

Pc Gordon Macdonald of the Crime Reduction Unit said: “Returning from holiday to find that your home had been broken into is a terrible event to experience. By following some simple advice you can make your home more secure while you are away.“

Home security systems, alarms, sensors — Just because you’ve had these installed doesn’t mean that you are wholly safe from burglary crimes and break-ins. There are still certain points you have to check to make sure that your home is safe from openings that burglars can make as entry points.

First, you have to reinforce your home security habits. Make sure that very window and door in the house is closed when the rooms aren’t used. Provide screens or wiring for detectors if there is a need to.

Your phone line should not be visible to the burglar. If the burglar cuts the phone lines, then the home security company monitoring your house won’t even get a signal from you. considering burying the phone lines or getting a back up cell phone.

Make sure that your home security system and the control panel is properly set up. Have it tested by a professional, too.

Smoke detectors are required to be serviced each year and replace every ten years. There are instances that smoke detectors don’t work properly because they weren’t properly maintained.

There can be more defects in your home security, so make sure that you have every corner of your house inspected by a professional. Properly test your home security system and devices when you’ve had them installed.

Home security systems, monitoring devices, sensors, and other home security gadgets protect your home but at a costly price. If you can’t afford to spend so much on your home security, why not try these:

• Signs like “No Trespassing” and “Beware of Dogs” are helpful in deterring burglars. They cost only $1.79!
• For the windows, Ace Hardware has a little pack of a little lock with a thumbscrew for only $2.49!
• Going back to the basics of basics, you can just use a broomstick to wedge into the track of your sliding glass door to keep it from being opened. A broom only costs $2.99.
• Even a simple screw can also be used for the sliding glass door or window. Drill the screw in the frame and the sliding door or window will only open to a point that a thief won’t be able to take out a computer or a TV. And a screw only costs 12 cents!

There are also locks and chains available that cost $14 or less.

Remember that there is no perfect home security. You can only deter burglars enough that they will quickly leave and move on to another target.

In Princeton Township, New Jersey, there was a report about an unknown male claiming to be a Medicare agent and asking for a resident’s bank account and social security number. Luckily, the resident was suspicious of the man and refused to give him the account numbers.

Medicare was quickly contacted about the incident and the police are urging the residents to be careful with such calls that ask for their bank accounts and social security numbers.

The Medicare program is all about keeping seniors safe at home.

And speaking of keeping seniors safe, in Burlington County, residents 60 years and older can get free home security surveys and upgrades through the Seniors Home Security Program. they can also get free door locks, Charlie bars, door viewers, and other safety improvements. Fire safety is also on the program.

New Zealand — Craig Hodgson won the New Zealand Security Association trainee of the year award last week. This apprentice who works for Nelson Alarms was overwhelmed with the honor and helped confirm that he was in the right occupation.

Nelson Alarms’ Peter Laing, Craig Hodgson’s boss, said he was not surprised that Craig got the award. Craig Hodgson is an asset to the company. He takes his work seriously and gets positive feedback from the customers.

This just goes to show that home security installers and electricians are also being valued and honored in our society today. Keep up the good work!

Grilling safety:

• Keep kids and pets away from the grilling area until the grilling equipment is cool.
• The grill should be at least three feet away from any object, the house, or bushes or plants.
• When using a charcoal grill, use only starter fluid made for barbecue grills when starting a fire.
• In using a gas grill, check the connection between the propane tank and fuel line beforehand.
• Don’t use a match to check for leaks.
• If you detect a leak immediately turn off the gas and have it fixed.
• Never bring a barbecue grill indoors to avoid fire and carbon monoxide poisoning hazard.
• Always use mitts and long-handled tools.

Pool safety:

• Never leave a child alone or in the care of another child.
• Make sure there’s always someone watching over the pool during parties where children can freely swim around.
• Learn and practice lifesaving techniques, like First Aid and CPR.
• Keep rescue equipment near the pool.
• Install fencing with self-locking and self-closing gates around the pool.

Playground safety:

• Closely supervise your children when they play.
• cover areas around and under playground equipment with soft materials.
• Avoid putting play equipment so close together.
• remove strings and draw-cords from children’s jackets to prevent strangulation.

A recent report about an elderly lady tied up and beaten in her own home has sparked up more home and physical security issues.

It is important for everyone to know not to open the door if they do not know who it is.

Look out your window or peephole, and if you don’t have a peephole or you can’t see through your windows, then try to recognize the voice of the person. You can have them slide an identification card under the door, too. If it’s a salesman or a company agent, you can call up the company or authorities to see if his or her identification is for real or not. Just make sure that you don’t open the door until you know who it is.