MANILA, Philippines – Heading out of town for the Holy Week break? You might want to think twice or thrice before posting your #vacation photos on social media.

Speaking to reporters, Philippine National Police (PNP) PIO head Chief Superintendent Theodore Sindac urged vacationers to avoid posting vacation photos real-time.

“When criminals target a home, they do research – they’ll know your name and how you look like. If your settings on Facebook at Twitter are public, they’ll know you aren’t home and it might embolden them to know that you are not there,” said Sindac.

“You can take as many pictures as you like, just delay the posting so that would-be criminal won’t get due or advance notice,” he added.

Common incidents during Holy Week, Sindac said, are theft, robbery, and the occasional road accident. Here are some safety tips for those vacationing during the Holy Week:

Unplug everything. Before leaving and locking up your home, make sure all your utilities have been disconnected – electricity, LPG, and water.

Don’t be flashy. “Try to travel light with the barest minimum. Don’t wear expensive jewelry and avoid carrying around big amounts of cash,” said Sindac.

Stick to crowds. When withdrawing money from the ATM, make sure you’re in a fairly populated area. If it’s possible, avoid withdrawing money in remote, isolated places.

“Your policemen can be in so many places. May limitations din kami pero kung di maiwasan at may nangyari, andiyan rin naman kami,” he added. (We have limitations but if it’s unavoidable, we will be there.)

No leaves for police

The PNP is on heightened alert status in preparation for the Holy Week. The status, said Sindac, usually stays until after Easter Sunday, April 20.

When the PNP is under heightened alert status, almost 90% of the police force is deployed. Police, said Sindac, will follow the “one-third” rule – one-third will be on patrol duty, another third will handle normal operations and investigations, while the rest will perform special tasks such as patrolling malls, churches, and other Holy Week destinations.

Special patrols and “force mutipliers” will also be deployed to subdivisions and residential areas to make sure houses left behind by vacationers won’t be left vulnerable to criminals.

Sindac said the PNP, Armed Force of the Philippines and the National Bureau of Investigation have not yet received information on any specific threat over the Holy Week so far. – Rappler.com