The holidays are when a lot of Los Angeles County homes sit empty. Families fly out for Thanksgiving, spend the winter somewhere else, or keep a second home on the coast that only gets used a few weekends a year. A house without people in it is quiet in a way that is easy to read from the street: the same car in the same spot, no lights changing, packages piling up, a gate nobody opens.
This guide walks through what to do before you leave, what to set up while you are gone, and how residential security options like mobile patrol, a posted officer and the LDG AI Vehicle Surveillance Program can cover the gap. It is written for homeowners, estate managers and the family offices that look after properties in places like Malibu, Calabasas and Bel Air.
Why an empty home is a target
Most break-ins at vacant homes start with someone noticing. People who case a neighborhood are looking for signs that nobody is coming back soon and that nobody is checking. The longer a property goes without a visible change, the more confident they get.
That is why the goal while you travel is not only to lock things up. It is to keep the property looking lived-in and visibly watched, so anyone casing the street decides to move on.
Before you leave: a short checklist
Do these in the week before the trip. None of them cost much, and they close the easy openings.
- Walk the perimeter. Check every gate, side door, garage door and window, including upstairs windows reachable from a balcony or tree. Fix latches that do not close on their own.
- Stop the giveaways. Hold mail and package deliveries, or have someone you trust collect them daily. Ask the landscaper and pool service to keep their normal schedule so the yard looks maintained.
- Put lights on timers. Use a few interior lights on different schedules rather than one lamp that turns on at the same minute every night.
- Check your cameras and alarm. Make sure every camera records and you can open the feed from your phone. Confirm who the alarm company calls and that the contact list is current.
- Decide who is allowed on the property. Write down every person who may show up while you are away: housekeeper, gardener, pool service, a neighbor watering plants. Anyone not on that list should not be on the property.
- Keep travel quiet. Post photos after you are home, not while you are away.
While you are away: four levels of coverage
Not every home needs the same thing. Here is how most LA County homeowners layer coverage, from lightest to heaviest.
1. Scheduled or randomized patrol visits
For many homes, mobile patrol is the right starting point. Marked LDG units visit on a schedule, at random times, or both, and check the perimeter, gates and doors for signs of trespassing or tampering. Each visit is documented, so you get incident reporting while you are on the other side of the country. Randomized timing matters: someone watching the street cannot predict when the next check is coming.
2. A live-viewed camera vehicle on the driveway
The AI Vehicle Surveillance Program puts a marked LDG security vehicle where anyone approaching sees it first, typically at the gate or the top of the driveway. It carries four cameras, one on each roof corner, with AI person and vehicle detection and color night vision. LDG views the feed live and remotely, so a person is watching, not just a recorder. If someone walks up, the siren, warning lights and two-way talk can warn them off. It runs unmanned, and you can add patrol visits on top.
For a home that sits empty for weeks, this is often the piece that changes how the property looks from the street. A parked security vehicle with cameras in plain view reads very differently from a quiet driveway.
3. A posted officer
Some properties need a person on site: a large estate, a home with valuable art or collections, a property with staff coming and going, or a house that was targeted before. A licensed security guard works from written post orders that say exactly who is expected and what to do about anyone who is not. Coverage can be overnight only, around the clock, or tied to the specific dates you are gone. For higher-risk situations, LDG also provides armed officers.
4. Technology that keeps working after you are back
If the trip made you realize your cameras have blind spots, LDG provides security technology through trusted partners: professional camera systems, access control, alarm integration and remote monitoring, planned alongside patrols and officers so each part covers the others' gaps.
Local considerations
Every part of LA County has its own version of this problem.
- Malibu and Pacific Palisades: many homes along PCH and in the canyons are second homes that sit empty midweek, properties are spread out, and some lots are still rebuilding. Patrol visits or a camera vehicle overnight are common setups here. See our Malibu security guards page for posted coverage.
- Calabasas and Hidden Hills: gated communities help, but a gate alone does not watch your driveway. Families here often pair community access control with an officer at the estate or patrol visits while they travel. More on security guards in Calabasas.
- Bel Air and Brentwood: long, winding drives and hillside lots mean a house can be invisible from the street, which cuts both ways. A visible vehicle or officer at the gate makes the property's status clear.
- Beverly Hills: homes in the Flats and Trousdale often have staff and vendors in and out even while owners travel, so clear access lists and a posted guard at the gate keep the routine running.
If you manage several properties or a job site as well, our guide on stopping construction site theft covers the same layered approach for active builds.
Set it up before you go
The best time to plan coverage is a week or two before you leave, so there is time to walk the property, write post orders and place a vehicle if you want one. LDG is a law enforcement and military-owned private security company (CA PPO License #122869) serving Los Angeles County. Request a consultation or call or text (442) 288-6642 and tell us your travel dates.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a guard on site the whole time I am traveling?
Not always. Many homes are well covered with scheduled or randomized patrol visits, a live-viewed camera vehicle, or both. A posted officer makes sense for larger estates, homes with staff on site, or properties that have been targeted before.
What does a patrol visit check?
Marked LDG units inspect the property's perimeter, gates and doors for signs of trespassing, tampering or vandalism, and each visit is documented in an incident report.
How does the camera vehicle work if nobody is home?
It runs unmanned. Four roof-mounted cameras with AI detection cover 360 degrees, and LDG views the feed live and remotely. The siren, warning lights and two-way talk can warn off anyone who approaches.
Can coverage start and stop with my travel dates?
Yes. Coverage is planned around your schedule, so it can begin the day you leave and end when you return. Tell us your dates when you request a consultation.
Do you cover homes outside Malibu, Calabasas and Bel Air?
Yes. LDG serves homes across Los Angeles County, including Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Pasadena, Encino and more. See all service areas.
