Home Security Before Your Holiday: An Irish Safety Guide

Why Your Holiday Is a Peak Risk Period

Each summer, Garda divisions across Ireland report a seasonal uptick in opportunistic burglaries, particularly during the school holiday period from late July through August. According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO) Crime Statistics, burglary and related offences consistently rank among the most commonly recorded property crimes in Ireland, with residential properties accounting for the majority of incidents. An empty house — curtains closed at noon, post piling up, no car in the driveway — is one of the most recognisable signals a property is unoccupied. The good news is that most holiday burglaries are opportunistic, and a handful of practical steps can shift the odds firmly in your favour.

In any emergency or immediate threat, call 999 immediately.

Secure Every Entry Point Before You Leave

The most effective deterrent is still the one burglars encounter first: a properly secured door and window.

An Garda Síochána's crime prevention guidance advises homeowners to ensure all doors — including side gates, shed doors, and garage access — are locked with quality deadbolts before departure. PVC and composite doors should be locked at the top, middle, and bottom multi-point positions, not simply pulled shut. Sash windows and older timber frames are a particular vulnerability in older Irish properties; secondary locks cost very little and take minutes to fit.

• Fit British Standard (BS 3621) or equivalent five-lever deadlocks on all external timber doors
• Lock all windows, including first-floor and rear-facing ones — these are frequently targeted
• Secure sliding patio doors with a steel anti-lift bar or dedicated lock
• Padlock side gates and outbuildings containing tools or bikes
• Consider a monitored alarm system — most Irish insurers offer premium reductions for these

If you have a smart doorbell or CCTV camera, ensure cloud recording is enabled and that a trusted contact has access to check footage remotely. Citizens Information notes that many home insurance policies require certain security standards to be met; check your policy wording before you travel to avoid a claim being declined.

Make Your Home Look Lived-In

Experienced burglars spend less than sixty seconds deciding whether to target a property — your job is to introduce doubt.

A lived-in appearance is one of the most powerful deterrents available. Simple, free measures include asking a neighbour to park occasionally in your driveway, collect post and free newspapers, and take in any deliveries. Timed plug-in sockets — available from most Irish hardware shops — can activate lamps and a radio at varied intervals. Avoid patterns that repeat at the same time every night, as these are easily identified.

• Ask a trusted neighbour or family member to check the property every two to three days
• Suspend newspaper or milk deliveries for the duration of your holiday
• Use timed smart plugs on lamps in the sitting room and upstairs landing
• Mow the lawn or arrange for someone to do so before a long absence
• Do not post holiday photos or announce travel plans on social media until you return

This last point is worth emphasising. A 2024 survey referenced by An Garda Síochána's Press Office indicated that a significant proportion of young people routinely share holiday locations in real time on social media — information that is publicly accessible and can indicate an unoccupied home to those looking for it.

Register With Your Local Neighbourhood Watch

Community safety in Ireland is most effective when neighbours look out for one another — and neighbourhood watch ireland networks are the backbone of that system.

If you are already part of a neighbourhood watch ireland scheme, notify your coordinator before you travel. If you are not yet a member, now is an ideal time to join your neighbourhood on Patrol.ie, Ireland's dedicated community safety network. Registered members can share alerts, flag suspicious activity, and stay informed about local incidents — all of which contribute directly to community safety ireland.

Leaving a trusted contact's phone number with a neighbour, and having theirs in return, costs nothing and creates a genuine safety net. An Garda Síochána encourages residents to engage with their local community policing team; details for every division are available on garda.ie.

A Worked Example: The O'Brien Family, Co. Kildare

To illustrate how these steps work in practice, consider a realistic scenario. A family in Naas, Co. Kildare, plan a two-week holiday to Portugal. Before departing, they take the following steps: they deadlock all external doors and fit window locks on two older timber sash windows at the rear of the house; they ask their next-door neighbour to collect post every second day and park in the driveway twice a week; they set two smart plugs — one in the sitting room, one upstairs — to activate at randomised times between 7pm and 11pm; they notify their neighbourhood watch coordinator via the Patrol.ie platform; and they hold off posting any holiday photographs until they land home.

On day five of their holiday, their neighbour notices an unfamiliar van parked outside the house for an extended period and uses Patrol.ie to report an incident on Patrol.ie, which alerts other residents and the local watch coordinator. No entry is attempted, and the family return to a secure home. The entire preparation took under two hours and cost less than €30 in hardware. This is community safety ireland working exactly as intended.

What to Do If the Worst Happens

A burglary is distressing, but how you respond in the immediate aftermath can significantly affect the outcome.

If you return home to signs of a break-in — a smashed window, an open door, disturbed rooms — do not enter the property. Call 999 immediately. Preserve the scene as far as possible; do not touch surfaces or tidy up before Garda officers arrive, as forensic evidence can be critical. Your insurer will require a Garda incident number as part of any claim, so ensure you obtain this before the attending Garda leaves. Full guidance on garda reporting ireland is available through Citizens Information at citizensinformation.ie.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I tell my insurance company I'm going on holiday?

It is worth reviewing your home insurance policy before travelling. Some policies include conditions around unoccupied properties — typically properties left vacant for more than 30 consecutive days — which could affect your cover. Check your policy documents or contact your insurer directly. Citizens Information at citizensinformation.ie provides a clear overview of home insurance obligations in Ireland.

How do I find my local Garda community policing contact?

Each Garda division has a dedicated community policing team. Contact details for your local Garda station are listed on garda.ie. You can also engage with local community safety updates through your neighbourhood on Patrol.ie, which connects residents with local watch coordinators.

What should I do if I notice something suspicious near a neighbour's home while they're away?

If you believe a crime is in progress or there is an immediate threat to property or persons, call 999. For non-emergency suspicious activity — an unfamiliar vehicle parked for an extended period, someone checking door handles — contact your local Garda station on its non-emergency number and report the incident on Patrol.ie so other neighbours are informed. Do not confront individuals yourself.

A few hours of preparation before you leave the driveway can make the difference between a relaxing holiday and a stressful homecoming. Check your locks, brief your neighbours, activate your timed lighting, and stay connected to your local community. Join your neighbourhood on Patrol.ie — Ireland's community safety network.