f you plan to be away from home over the holidays or take a vacation, be certain to take up the welcome mat. Your absence provides prime pickings for burglars and thieves, but there are thing you can do to minimize your chances of becoming a target, no matter where you live:

• Don’t tell anyone who doesn’t have to know that you’ll be gone. Casual conversation could put that information into the wrong hands.
• Leave your residence looking occupied: lights that cycle on and off and a softly-playing radio give the illusion that someone’s home.
• Have a trusted neighbor raise and lower shades occasionally , as well as pick up mail and newspapers. You can also have delivery stopped.
• Have someone remove advertising debris left around your place and shovel the snow, if necessary.
• Don’t leave a key stashed outside your home or apartment. That’s the first place a thief looks.
• Turn down your telephone’s ringer so burglars can’t hear it.
• Don’t pile empty boxes that once held expensive electronics outside where thieves can see them.
• Clip back bushes and trees that might provide a place to hide and make sure the outside of your home and apartment hallways are well lit. Criminals hate places that are well-lit.
• Lock up tools and ladders. Don’t give thieves the means to break into your home.
• Check with your local law enforcement’s crime prevention unit and see if they have a program where they’ll check on your home when you’re not there. Many do and it doesn’t cost a thing.
• Police caution to never put your name, phone number or address on your key ring. If you lose it, you’ve just given burglars a map leading straight to you.