Don’t leave a welcome mat out for thieves when you go on vacation.
Allstate Insurance Co. offered the following tips to make sure what you leave is there when you come back and what you take with you on a trip make it back home.
Protect your home:
Stop mail and newspapers or ask a neighbor to pick them up every day
Put several household lights on timers so they turn on and off at appropriate times
Arrange to have grass mowed while you're gone
Ask a neighbor to park in your driveway overnight - anything that might suggest someone is home
Protect your stuff:
Clean out your wallet or purse before you go and take only essential credit cards
Carry a purse close to your body or a wallet in an inside front pocket
Pack as lightly as possible. Heavy, cumbersome bags will slow you down and make you more vulnerable to getting robbed
Keep a separate record of the contents of checked luggage. Keep anything of value such as medicine and jewelry in a carry-on that stays with you
Blend in:
Don't display expensive jewelry, cameras, bags and other items that might draw attention.
Check maps before you go out so you can tour confidently.
Stick to well-lit, well-traveled streets at all times.
Leave an itinerary of your trip with someone at home in case you need to be contacted. Carry an extra passport photo with you just in case you need to replace a stolen passport.
Don't use your home address on your luggage tags. That lets people know where your empty house is located. Consider using your business card instead.
— Amanda Memrick