If you are heading out of town for the holidays, you can take steps to keep your home, car, and belongings safe.
Sgt. Rigo Pruneda with Pasco Police says though many are busy and distracted during the holidays, it’s important to take those small steps to keep your home secure.
“Making sure your doors are locked, front and back. Windows are locked all the way around the house. Car doors especially, keep those locked because we get a lot of car prowlers. And keep all your valuables out of your car,” said Pruneda.
He says they see more thefts during this time of year. Getting to know your neighbors can keep you safer, in addition to making new friends.
“We always encourage you to get out and get to know your neighbors and kind of introduce yourself to them. Talk to them,” said Pruneda. “Know their routines. That way they can help you if they see something suspicious.”
You can also have someone you trust check your mail, and help keep packages from piling up.
There are also other options for keeping your home safe.
“Security cameras that have motion detectors. You can call [us] yourself. Say ‘Hey, somebody is walking near my home and they should not be there.’ You can call the police, you can watch it live. And we will go check on it, take a look at it,” said Pruneda.
Finally, if you see something suspicious, Sgt. Pruneda says to report it.
“If it’s small and you think, ‘I don’t want to report that,’ still report it. Don’t feel bad about reporting something that’s suspicious to you because it probably is,” said Pruneda.
