Don't advertise that you are gone

Discontinue newspaper delivery or have a trusted neighbor bring in the paper each day. He or she can bring in the mail and any other deliveries at the same time. Arrange for someone to keep the lawn cut. Leave a car parked in the driveway. Leave lights and a radio on timers. Don't record a message on your answering machine or voice mail that says you are gone. If you use an answering machine, have someone remove messages periodically to prevent overloading its message capacity. An overloaded answering machine won't take messages properly and can alert thieves that you are away.

Improve security

Make sure all windows and doors are locked, including those above the ground floor. Use broom handles to wedge sliding glass doors shut. If you have an alarm, let the monitoring service know you will be away. Make sure alternate contacts are going to be in town. Let trusted neighbors know you are leaving so they can watch your home. Install exterior lights that automatically come on when it gets dark and go off when it's light.

Just in case

Hide small valuable items such as fine jewelry. Don't place items in the freezer, as it is an overused hiding place. A banged-up box high in a closet or in a remote corner of the basement should suffice. Store unusually valuable items in a safe, or in your safety deposit box.

Engrave identifying information onto an appropriate surface of large valuables such as video equipment, computers, and bicycles. While this will rarely prevent theft, it will improve the odds that the thief can be caught and your possessions returned. In many communities, the police will lend you an engraving tool.

Photograph valuables to have as a record for insurance purposes. Even better, take a video inventory of each room, zooming in on brand names, model numbers, and serial numbers. Make a written list of the serial numbers.

by David Hollies, reprinted courtesy of HomeAdvisor.com