Christmas Holiday Travel: Hyderabad Police Share Tips to Secure Homes

As the festive season approaches with Christmas, New Year, and Sankranti around the corner, the Central Zone Police in Hyderabad have issued a safety advisory for residents planning to travel during the holidays. The advisory, released on Sunday, focuses on preventive steps to reduce the risk of house burglaries and property-related offences when homes are left unoccupied.

Police officials have urged residents to inform their nearest police station about their travel plans, including departure and return dates. This information will help patrol teams keep a closer watch on vacant houses during routine rounds. Citizens have also been advised to request neighbours, friends, or relatives to check their homes occasionally and immediately report any suspicious activity. Those living in apartments are encouraged to notify their housing associations or security personnel about their absence.

According to the police, holiday travel often leaves houses unattended for extended periods, making them easy targets for theft. To minimise such risks, residents are being asked to take extra precautions before leaving town. Authorities have cautioned against storing large sums of cash, valuables, jewellery, or important documents at home. They have also warned people not to hide spare keys in obvious places such as flower pots, shoe racks, or electricity meter boxes.

Another key recommendation is to avoid sharing travel details or live updates on social media until returning home, as such information can alert criminals to empty houses. Residents have also been advised to restrict access to domestic staff, drivers, gardeners, or other service personnel during their absence. House keys, entry codes, and other sensitive details should be shared only when absolutely necessary. If any service staff are aware of access codes or key locations, changing locks or codes as a precaution is strongly recommended.

Before leaving, homeowners should ensure that all doors, windows, grills, ventilators, and balconies are properly locked. Where possible, police suggest installing or activating security measures such as CCTV cameras, alarm systems, motion-sensor lights, and video doorbells. Adequate lighting around entry points and secure parking of vehicles with anti-theft devices are also encouraged.

To avoid attracting attention to an empty house, residents should make arrangements to stop newspapers, milk deliveries, couriers, and garbage accumulation outside their homes. Using automatic timers for lights or electrical appliances can also create the impression that someone is present.

The police have stressed that taking these simple but effective steps can significantly reduce the chances of theft and help ensure a safe and worry-free holiday season for residents.

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