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December is one of the busiest travel months for Randburg homeowners—and unfortunately, one of the busiest months for criminals too.

As families head away for well-earned holidays, empty homes become prime targets for break-ins, and opportunistic theft.

Before you pack your bags, make sure your home is properly secured. This practical holiday travel checklist will help you tighten your home’s defences, strengthen visibility, and ensure your alarm and armed response remain fully prepared to protect your property while you’re away.

1. Confirm Your Alarm Is Fully Functional

A working alarm is essential, but in Randburg, a properly tested alarm is non-negotiable. A false sense of security is worse than no security at all.

Run through these steps:

• Test all door and window sensors.
• Confirm external beams are online, aligned and not obstructed.
• Check the alarm battery — December heat can shorten backup lifespan.
• Make sure your alarm is correctly linked to a dependable armed response and reaction service.

If anything seems off, book a quick inspection with the SB Security technical team before leaving.

2. Ensure Your Electric Fencing and Gate Are Secure

Randburg’s criminal activity spikes around access points. Before travelling:

• Check that all electric fence strands are tight and vegetation-free.
• Confirm the fence energiser is operational and signage is visible.
• Test your gate motor — slow or stalling gates increase driveway vulnerability.
• Ensure manual override keys are safely stored where only trusted people can access them.

A malfunctioning gate or fence is one of the fastest ways criminals exploit empty properties.

3. Update SB Security With Your Holiday Dates

This is one of the most overlooked—but most valuable—steps.
Inform your security provider of:

• Your exact travel dates
• Who (if anyone) will be accessing the property
• Emergency contact details
• Whether a house-sitter, domestic worker, or gardener will be present

This ensures the control room and armed reaction teams know when your home should be considered fully vacant, allowing them to escalate response if anything unusual occurs.

4. Make it Look Like Somebody is Home

Criminals look for patterns, and a home sitting in darkness for days is a clear sign you’re away.
Before leaving:

• Use smart bulbs or timers to turn lights on during the evening.
• Make sure outdoor lighting, especially around the gate and driveway, is functional.
• Replace burnt-out bulbs and fix flickering LEDs.
• Angle lights to remove blind spots.

Simple lighting adjustments dramatically reduce opportunistic attempts.

5. Secure Entry Points You Rarely Use

Back doors, sliding patio doors, laundry entrances and garage doors are often neglected during holiday prep.

Do the following:

• Insert anti-lift brackets on sliding doors.
• Ensure security gates are locked—not just closed.
• Lock internal doors to delay movement inside the home.
• Disconnect any old remotes no longer in use.

Criminals check for the weakest or least-used entry point first.

6. Keep the Exterior Looking “Lived-In”

You don’t want your home to broadcast that it’s empty.

• Arrange for a neighbour or family member to take out refuse bins and put them back.
• Ask someone to collect posts or flyers (a full postbox is an obvious tell).
• Ensure your lawn and verge area don’t become overgrown while you’re away.

A well-maintained, active-looking property is significantly less attractive to criminals.

7. Coordinate With Neighbours and CPF Groups

Randburg benefits from strong neighbourhood communities, especially in suburbs like Randpark Ridge, Boskruin, Olivedale, North Riding, Sharonlea and Sundowner.

Before leaving:

• Inform trusted neighbours of your travel dates.
• Join your local WhatsApp security group if you haven’t already.
• Share SB Security’s emergency numbers with neighbours in case they see unusual activity around your property.

Community vigilance paired with professional armed response is one of the strongest deterrents available.

8. Lock Down Digital Access and Smart Devices

In the rush to leave town, digital security often gets overlooked.

• Update passwords on alarm apps, smart locks or CCTV portals.
• Disable access for old devices or past contractors.
• Ensure Wi-Fi remains active for remote CCTV viewing.
• Test your CCTV feed from mobile before departing.

Smart home weaknesses can compromise physical security.

9. Final Pre-Departure Walkthrough

Just before driving off:

• Arm the alarm
• Check all windows and side gates
• Lock the garage and interleading doors
• Turn on exterior lighting systems
• Activate CCTV alerts

Final Word

December shouldn’t be a stressful month for Randburg homeowners. With the right preparation—and the backing of SB Security’s professional armed response—you can travel with confidence knowing your property is monitored, protected and supported by a team that understands the local risks.

Before your holiday begins, secure your home, brief your security provider, and let SB Security handle the rest.

Ready to prepare your home for travel? Contact SB Security today for a pre-holiday security review