Its Summer!  Time for fun in the sun, traveling and relaxing.  Take steps now to insure you don't return home to find out that theives have 

raided your house.  A few simple but important steps taken before you leave on vacation can save you much heartache upon returning to 

your castle.  

• Place your mail and newspapers on hold....don't let mail and papers piling up announce to would be theives that you aren't home.
• If you don't have a home security system at least get some timers to place on your lights and possibly on a radio to give the appearance that someone is there.
• Keep shrubs and bushes around your windows and doors  trimmed so that there is no place for a would be burglar to hide from sight while attempting to gain access to your house.
• Make sure all doors and windows are securely locked.
• Disconnect the garage door opener so that would be intruders can't use an opener utilizing the same code as yours to open the door.
• Alert a "trusted" neighbor that you will be gone and ask them to keep an eye on your place plus give them your contact phone number in case there is a problem at your home while you are away.
• Consider notifying your local police department that you will be out of town as many departments will have the officer in your precinct drive by your home to do a check during your absence.
• Think about turning the water off inside of your house in case a supply line or pipe begins to leak while you are gone.  Also, this prevents someone maliciously turning on an outside water spigot and leaving it run, or even worse turning the spigot on and placing a garden hose in a window well to flood your basement. 
• When you load your car to leave, try to load your luggage into the car while its parked inside of the garage.  No need to announce to the  entire neighborhood that you are leaving.
• One of the most important tips.......DO NOT POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA (FaceBook, Twitter, Linked In, etc) THAT YOU ARE GOING  OR  THAT YOU ARE ON VACATION!!!!!!!!!!!  Wait to post those awesome vacation photos and details about your location AFTER you have returned home.