The holiday season is a time full of festive decorations, fun music, office parties, and time with family and friends. Unfortunately, it's also one of the busiest times for thieves and criminal activity in Houston. Every holiday season, a growing number of Houstonians find themselves victims of theft, either from home burglaries, package theft or vehicle theft. In today's blog post, we'll offer four ways Houstonians can reduce the threat of theft this holiday season.

Have Packages Delivered Elsewhere

Each year, a growing number of shoppers avoid the malls and choose to make holiday purchases online to save money and multiple car trips. Unfortunately, thieves now wait for UPS and FedEx delivery trucks to leave packages on doorsteps so they can quickly steal them. If possible, don't have packages shipped to your front door when you won't be home to receive them. Instead, have purchases shipped to your office so avoid leaving packages outside for extended periods of time.

Minimize Front Window Displays

One of the most common indicators of the holiday season is the arrival of festive lights and Christmas decorations. While many people love showing off their brightly lit Christmas trees in a front window, this can be an invitation to home burglars as they also take notice of your electronics, household goods and gifts under the tree. If you're planning to display your Christmas tree in the front window, consider leaving gifts in another part of the house, or keep your window treatments mostly closed to deter possible thieves.

Increase Home Security With Outside Lights

During the holidays, many more Houstonians are away from their home, either traveling to visit relatives or attending holiday festivities. One way to increase security around your home and deter home burglars is to install security lighting around the perimeter of your home. Motion-detector lights can quickly scare off thieves interested in breaking into your home or stealing your vehicle.

Smarter Social Media Activity

Avoid posting photos of gifts and shopping trips on social media. This not only tips off potential burglars that you're not home, but also highlights that your house or apartment may be full of Christmas gifts like electronics, jewelry and other expensive goodies. In addition, try to avoid posting photos of holiday travels until after you're returned home to ensure you don't make your home a target of thieves.

These few simple tips can go a long way in keeping your home and possessions safe from thieves this holiday season. Aegis also offers quality protection for your home and property with affordable and reliable insurance coverage. Aegis offers a full range of insurance policy solutions, including Homeowners Insurance, Renters Insurance, Auto Coverage, Commercial Policies, and Life Insurance. Contact the friendly and experienced insurance agents of Aegis at 713-850-7622 for more information, or go online to receive a free quote today!