Still planning one more summer vacation before school starts up again?

Lawrence-based Protection One offers these tips for securing your home while you’re away

• Use timers to operate lights, so it looks like someone is home.
• Leave your blinds and curtains in their everyday positions.
• Turn down your telephone’s ringer, so no one outside can hear repeated rings.
• Don’t change your answering machine to let people know you’ll be away.
• Stop mail and newspaper deliveries, or have a friend pick them up.
• If you’ll be gone for an extended time, arrange for yard care.
• If your car is parked in the driveway, have a friend move it occasionally.Here are some other tips the company suggests to deter burglars year-round:
• Plant thorny bushes below first-floor windows and cut tree limbs away from second-story windows.
• Trim bushes to make it more difficult for burglars to hide.
• Remove objects that might allow access to your home, such as ladders or trash cans stored outdoors.
• Install motion lights to illuminate entryways.
• Never leave a key hidden outside.
• Install deadbolt locks for exterior entrances.