Something to consider...

[Nemo14]

Before you post too much info online about yourself and your vacation plans, you might want to read this....
http://news.yahoo.com/video/squatters-over-home-while-family-212741065.html

 

[SMS55]

This shouldn't apply to just vacations. Sometimes just mentioning that you are going away for the evening is enough to invite someone to break into your house. I've seen it before. I have very few people on my facebook friend's list. If I didn't stay in touch with you after high school, it was for a reason.

 

[Nemo14]

True. I know that around here, it's not uncommon to ask someone to house-sit during wakes and funerals because of the potential "visitors".
It just seems that on forums like this though, you really need to be careful about how much info you share.

 

[NYwdwfan]

This shouldn't apply to just vacations. Sometimes just mentioning that you are going away for the evening is enough to invite someone to break into your house. I've seen it before. I have very few people on my facebook friend's list. If I didn't stay in touch with you after high school, it was for a reason.

This is why I'm not on Facebook.

During our first family trip to Disney our neighbor called that the house across the street had been broken into. We were freaking out the entire trip, but returned to find we had not been violated. That's when we installed an alarm.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

That's why I don't post my pictures until I am either on my way home or back in my home.

 

[fbp]

This is why I keep a medium sized bear as a house mate.

 

[Nemo14]

But you can't trust those bears....

 

[ThinkTink721]

This is why I'm not on Facebook.

During our first family trip to Disney our neighbor called that the house across the street had been broken into. We were freaking out the entire trip, but returned to find we had not been violated. That's when we installed an alarm.

We don't do FB either...privacy issues

 

[donaldtoo]

I'm not on FB, only 2 Disney fan sites. Few know my first name, much less my last. My state, city, birth date, and age are out there. Only one person (from the other site) has ever known my address, and that was over 4 years ago to send me a prize from a photo caption contest. And, if she even still had the info, I doubt she'd come all the way from the northeast to squat/steal from a house that is quite likely not as nice as her own.
Bottom line, most crooks are lazy (depending on your definition of "lazy", of course). And, although, I know it can happen to anyone, anywhere...research your pants off to get what little stuff we have, or just find someone much more affluent and loose-lipped to get some REAL treasure...you make the call.

 

[olinecoach61]

One more reason why I have a security system on my house.

 

[luv]

If you do tell your neighbors you'll be gone and then you come back early, tell them you're back immediately (if not before you get there!)

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I don't post stuff from trips on my FB page until I'm back, and I don't even post pictures of myself on here (the most you'll see is the back of my head, if I mention it's me) just in case. Most people here know my first name and that I'm from Baltimore County, but I don't even specify where in Baltimore County. There's only one person on here who knows where I go to school because he mentioned personally to me that he went there as well.

I'm not too worried about it as the our neighbors are usually home and taking care of our house, and a few trips ago, someone unsuccessfully tried to break in (thank you alarm system!), so now the police always keep an eye on things while we're away.

 

[ShookieJones]

Squatters: neighborhood teenagers they know.

I disagree about not telling others. Posting it on Facebook, yes, however it doesn't hurt to just stop by your neighbors and say "We're heading out for a week, can you check on the house. I currently don't have any blankets doubling as drapes so If you see any kind of redecorating going on it's not us."

 

[Mr Ferret 75]

Guess i am lucky with where i live

 

[ShookieJones]

But you can't trust those bears....

Love this bear. Totally BA.

He must have been looking that thing over...leaning against it trying figure out what he could pull out of there and then it rolled a little and he was like......
"Wait a minute...WHEELS?? You gotta be friggin' kidding me...THAAAAAAANNNNKKKK YOUUUUUU!!"

Could you see him pulling back into bear camp...."What up fellas!!??? Any body hungry??"
Bear high fives all around...

 

[Nemo14]

Squatters: neighborhood teenagers they know.

I disagree about not telling others. Posting it on Facebook, yes, however it doesn't hurt to just stop by your neighbors and say "We're heading out for a week, can you check on the house. I currently don't have any blankets doubling as drapes so If you see any kind of redecorating going on it's not us."

We do tell a neighbor just so they don't think we died in there or something. But in the thing I quoted, a teenager put it out on facebook, and "allegedly" a bunch of "friends" took advantage of it. With friends like that....

 

[ShookieJones]

We do tell a neighbor just so they don't think we died in there or something. But in the thing I quoted, a teenager put it out on facebook, and "allegedly" a bunch of "friends" took advantage of it. With friends like that....

Gotcha...yes exactly, If those are your friends...wow oh wow I'd hate to see the people that ain't too fond of you.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Got it covered.

 

[luv]

I suppose that "Guard Cat" has less of a fear factor than dog signs.

The sight of her running away would probably not strike fear in anyone's heart, either.

 

[JIMINYCR]

I suppose that "Guard Cat" has less of a fear factor than dog signs.

The sight of her running away would probably not strike fear in anyone's heart, either.

Depends on the cat...
I once had a cat that would sit in the middle of our kitchen, stare at one of our dogs and puff his tail up and twitch it. He was a tough one. That dog would freeze on the spot and not move past that cat. Heres a big tough GS that was intimidated by a cat. So maybe the right guard cat could do the job..