It happened in Louisiana to a 91-year-old woman who called a satellite cable company for installation and got more than she bargained for when the installer returned a year later to burglarize her home. It happened in New Jersey, when the daughter of a housekeeper stole jewelry from several homes. And in probably the most shocking and famous case, a man named Brian David Mitchell, hired to rake leaves at family’s home, allegedly kidnapped Elizabeth Smart and held her for nine months before she was found.
In each of these cases, people who were hired to perform a service, from cable installation to home improvement work, used a homeowner’s trust as a tool to victimize them. Having a contractor in your home can be a nerve-racking ordeal. If you must have a contractor in your home, follow these important safety tips to guard your family and your valuables:
- Never leave a contractor alone in your home. Move with them from room to room, this makes it harder for them to pocket small items like jewelry.
- Never hire people on the spot. Sometimes people go door-to-door offering different services to homeowners. Before you decide to hire someone for a home improvement project, make sure to check their references and make sure they are licensed and insured.
- Never give your house key or a copy of your house key to a contract worker. If you must let a contractor in while you’re away, a remote home security system can allow you to lock and unlock doors at your convenience, the system can also activate home surveillance cameras—which can help you monitor contractors as they work in and around your home.
- Let neighbors know when you have a home improvement project planned and when they should expect to see contractors coming and going from your home. After the project is finished, let neighbors know that contractors should no longer be expected at your home.
*Content expressed in Home Security Source does not represent the thoughts and opinions of ADT Security Services, Inc. unless explicitly indicated.