When heading off to the cottage for the weekend, packing up the car with tents and marshmallows, I noticed that we did have a lot of traffic pass by.

So I thought to myself, what if one of these people knew that we were away, and wanted to use that as an opportunity to break and enter?

Of course, while I’m protected by Alcom, and would receive an alert if something were to happen, I would prefer that nothing would happen. What can we do to help prevent a break and enter when on a road trip?

1. Don’t advertise your vacation. Adding your vacation plans and pictures on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter can let people know when you’re away and when you will return. Save adding your photos until after you return.

2. Get a trusted neighbor. Let a friendly, and trusted, neighbor know that you’re away, and to check in and remove flyers from your home.

3. Remove your spare key. Normally, you will need to have your child or in-law periodic access to your house. During your vacation, give the key to your trusted neighbor.

4. Pretend someone is home. Using inexpensive timers can give the impression that someone is home when they are not.

5. Turn off water and lock the windows. Turning off the water to your home protects you against flooding, and double-checking your locked windows and doors gives you peace of mind.