With holidays right around the corner, it's a joyful time of year filled with major shopping at a hectic pace. Criminals however see this time of year as an easy target and a perfect time to take advantage of the craziness. According to the FBI, there is a robbery every 14 seconds in the U.S. With homes and cars filled with gifts and personal belongings, this is a lucrative time for thieves to take action. Although by taking some simple precautions, you can protect your home, belongings, purchases and identity from predators. First thing is to secure your home. Some of us travel during the holidays, and burglars know that it will be a much easier house to target, especially if the house looks vulnerable. Reduce the risk or burglary by putting inside and outside lights on a timer to make your home look occupied while you're away. Also, if you do not have a security system, you should install one. A study done by Temple University shows that a home without a security system is two to three times more likely to be burglarized. Thieves are a major issue this time of year, but so is fire safety. Leaving holiday lights on unattended or over night can be hazardous. And though candles during the holiday season are a given, but please be cautious and stay safe this holiday season.

Blog inspired by article featured in The Monitor and can be seen here: http://homes.themonitor.com/news/home-294-system-holidays.html