Home for the Holidays? Safeguard the House

There is a rich history in Hermosa Beach of attracting creative and cutting-edge people from around the country and the world.

So this time of year, many of us transplants leave the city to visit loved ones "back home," and the last thing we want to see after returning from a trip is that any of our Hermosa homes have been burglarized.

There are a few simple things you can do—and not do—to help keep your belongings safe:

• Under the mat is the worst place to hide a spare key, because it's the first place a thief would check. If you'd like to keep a spare key handy, leave one with a neighbor or friend, or bury one in a 35 mm film can (remember those?) at the base of a favorite plant in the garden. If your door was opened by your own spare key, think of how hard it would be to collect on theft insurance if there is no sign of forced entry.
• Tell a trusted neighbor that you're going on vacation. Write down the days you'll be away, and ask him or her to keep an eye on the comings and goings in and around your place and to call police if anybody unwanted is there.
• Awareness can go a long way to deterrence. When I was in college, a truck pulled up next to the common area in my dorm. Two workers moved the furniture, rolled up an oriental rug and left with it "for cleaning" while a helpful student held open the door. It was only later that we learned the valuable Persian rug had been lifted by thieves.
• One access point for a lot of homes is through sliding glass patio doors. Most have locks that can be easily forced. Cut a wooden dowel rod to the same length of the door track. By dropping it in, you can prevent an unauthorized opening. This works for windows as well.
• If you go away for more than a weekend, stop all mail and newspaper delivery, or have someone pick it up for you, so that thieves aren't alerted by the buildup of undelivered material.
• If you want to create the illusion someone is home, use timers on your lights. It's an old trick but one that works well. It's even a good idea to put a radio on a timer, so that lurking thieves would hear the murmur of voices.
• If you travel a lot, there are new security camera systems that will allow you to check on your home through the Internet.

A trip away this holiday season will probably make you appreciate Hermosa even more when you return, but remember to take the precautions that will make your return as happy and welcoming as it should be.