Ho Ho No! Are your presents in danger of theft? 6 Ideas to keep them safe this Christmas

It looks like, even with the strain from the cost of living crisis, Aussies are spending more this Christmas than before. According to Roy Morgan's findings, pre-Christmas sales are expected to grow to $63.9 billion—a 3% increase from the previous year.

But with more gifts, come more opportunities for burglars. 

In the previous year alone the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) found that—despite a 2.4% decrease in break-ins—at least 113,000 households had been robbed in addition to 79,600 suffering from some form of property damage.

So how can we prevent this from happening to us this Christmas period? 

Here are some tips Honey Insurance shared with us to prevent a holiday break-in.

1. Don’t just hide presents from the kids

A pile of presents are bound to attract anyone's attention, and would-be thieves are likely to want to open them early. Try to keep presents out of sight by keeping them either away from any easily viewable window or waiting until Christmas day to put them under the tree. 

2. Break down and hide boxes

Leaving your empty boxes on the curb is like setting up a sign advertising your wares. To avoid advertising to wandering robbers, break your boxes down and put them in the recycling. 

3. Feign occupancy if you’re not at home

Nowadays, automatic lights are pretty easy to set up. Using a system that automatically times the on-off cycle of your lighting can be a good way of giving people the impression that you’re still at home.

Additionally, having a neighbour collect the mail or having someone house-sit are also good options. Anything to make potential thieves check their list twice when considering your home. 

4. Smart home security tech

Smart home monitoring technology is a wise investment if you’re worried about security. From smart door locks to security cameras and fingerprint scanners, there are so many options to choose from that can help you secure your home.

Furthermore, home insurance providers like Honey offer smart home sensors that can be used to detect motion, temperature changes, and water leaks within the range of the device. 

5. Don’t let the whole internet know

People love to share everything on social media. Unfortunately, burglars have dropped the balaclavas and picked up the phone when it comes to scouting out their next victim. There is so much personal information online that it can actually be quite easy to discover your address. 

If you’re going to post pictures of your gifts online, make sure you’re only sharing them privately and not accepting any message requests from strangers. 

6. Stay ahead of the curve

Whether you have or are considering getting contents insurance, it’s a good idea to keep a list of all the presents you’ve bought and what they are worth. Be mindful that not all gifts are claimable and can have a limit of up to $1000. Additionally, some gifts may have individual items that may have their own limits. 

If the worst-case scenario does occur—and you do have insurance that covers you—make sure you document the receipt and serial numbers for all purchased items, along with photos so that you have the information needed to make a claim. 

Also, make sure that you check your contents insurance is sufficiently updated so that you know you are covered for the respective items. 

Looking for home and contents insurance to protect you over the holidays and beyond? Mozo has tools for comparing the best insurance provider options.