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Amid the excitement of going on vacation, it's always important to ensure you protect your property, especially if it will be unattended while you are away. According to Bureau of Justice statistics, in 2016, approximately 15.9 million U.S. households experienced property victimization, which includes burglary, motor vehicle theft and theft.Two ex-offenders have contributed to a guide from Bark.com, a home security provider, to help protect homes from burglary this summer, highlighting potential weaknesses that burglars will exploit if given the chance.Read these tips to help give you peace of mind, whether you're going on vacation, on a staycation or just visiting relatives locally for a long period of time.1. Take passports and driver's licenses away with you: Criminals can easily commit identity fraud with the information they provide. It’s a modern-day crime that is less risky and growing in popularity.2. Have a recording of a dog barking: A dog’s bark will make thieves think twice about breaking in. They’ll think someone else is in the house or that the dog will attract unwanted attention to them.3. Install a deadlock: The installation of a deadlock will make it a lot harder and time-consuming to pick a lock. In most cases, a burglar will move on when they realize they’re up against a deadlock.4. Don’t post on social media: Too many people freely put information about their schedules on social media, which helps burglars when it comes to figuring out when to steal from a property. Check your home insurance policy, too, as some may pay out less or not at all if you’ve published that you’re away on social media.5. Keep on top of your gardening: If the lawn is freshly mowed, then burglars will question whether a house is actually vacant. It also gets rid of any potential hiding spots. Burglars will watch houses for a few days to study the patterns of the occupants, so it’s a good idea to hire a gardener to come around whilst you’re away.6. Install a burglar alarm/put a fake one up: This will deter any burglars from even attempting to break into your home. If you’re put off by the cost, sometimes just the sight of one will put a thief off, so you don’t necessarily need to fork out the cash for a real one.7. Install a security camera/put a fake camera up: Like with burglar alarms, these don’t always need to be functioning. If a burglar is casing your home, they’ll likely avoid yours because of the perceived increased risk of getting caught.8. Make sure keys are hidden from sight: If someone can see keys from your window, they’re more likely to break in. Keys will also give intruders access to other areas of your home, such as your garage and your car.9. Buy motion-activated lights: These lights will come on when anyone comes near your property, making sure burglars can’t break in without being seen.10. Put WD-40 on your window sills: An unconventional but effective way to get rid of thieves trying to get in your home. The WD-40 will make it difficult for them to grip and use the window sill to climb into your home.For even more tips on how to keep your home safe while away, watch the video above.