The summer is here and we’re sure many of you are looking forward to jetting off somewhere slightly more exotic than the UK.
Despite the excitement, it’s important to be vigilant whilst you are abroad, as having valuables such as your passport or wallet stolen can completely ruin your break.
You must also remember that your home is vacant whilst you are away, making it a potential target for a break in – you wouldn’t want to return from a wonderful holiday to find you’ve been broken in to.
In this blog post, we’ll cover off a few security tips for keeping your valuables safe whilst abroad; as well as ensuring your home doesn’t become a target for a break-in.
Be Wary Of Hotel Safes
Despite being part of most hotels’ security recommendations, hotel safes aren’t always secure! Some can be accessed by a generic override code that’s rarely changed, whilst others aren’t securely fitted. To ensure you don’t end up having your valuables stolen, follow our top tips:
- Check the safe is bolted down securely before leaving any valuables in it.
- Ask the hotel staff how often the manual override combination is changed.
- Keep your room key safe at all times – thieves can steal these and pose as the room owner to gain access.
- Check the hotel reviews before you book; ensure there are no complaints about the hotel safes left by previous guests.
Invest In a Travel Lock
A sturdy travel lock is a fail-safe way to protect your luggage whilst abroad; potential thieves will be instantly put off once they see a padlock. At Thornhill, we recommend the ABUS range of travel locks – a robust yet cost effective range with options available for compliance with TSA checks.
Other Tips for Securing Your Suitcase Whilst Travelling:
- Buy a safety luggage strap – these not only make your bag harder to open unnoticed, but also prevent your case from popping open whilst being handled.
- Choose a unique case – This will make your suitcase easier to spot and reduce the risk of a mix up at the bagging area.
- Name it – Adding a name tag to your suitcase will increase the chances of you getting it back quickly should it be lost or accidentally picked up by someone else.
- Keep your money elsewhere – Don’t keep your money in your suitcase. Instead, keep it a travel wallet or bum bag.
Ditch the Cash
Tourists are more often targeted by thieves because of the large amount of cash they hold, with no foreign debit card or access to banks; tourists often carry all their spending money in their suitcase or wallet.
With the latest technologies available, there is really no need to carry a large amount of cash around with you. For example, the Post Office Money Card which can be topped up before your trip and then used at any cash point for a small withdrawal fee – a low price to pay to protect your money.
Protect Your Home Whilst Your Away
As we mentioned at the start of this post, your home can be a potential target for thieves whilst you are away; here are our top tips for reducing the risk of a break-in:
- Check and double check that all windows, doors, garages and outbuildings are locked before you leave.
- Set up automatic timers on lights and appliances to give the impression that somebody is home.
- Set your burglar alarm if you have one.
- Move any valuables out of sight of windows and doors, move them into a safe if you have one.
- Put away and secure any tools such as ladders that could be used to assist entry into your home.
- Pause any regular deliveries such as milk to the house.
- Have a trusted neighbour or family member keep an eye on your home. You may also entrust them with a key to remove your post.
- Ask a neighbour or family member to use your driveway.
For more information take a look at our blog post on keeping your home secure whilst you are away.
Talk To the Experts
Here’s to fun, sunny and safe holidays this summer! If you want to find out more about our range of travel locks, or any of our other products – give one of our expert team a call today on 0117 967 4994.
