Don't Leave Yourself Unprotected

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - When you leave on vacation, go to work, or just leave for an hour or two, is your house easy access to burglars or other intruders?  The Indiana State Police would like to offer some easy steps to follow to keep unwanted visitors from making entry to your house and help keep you from becoming a victim.

• Lock your doors.  That includes basement, side, and front door.  Be sure your garage door is down and locked.  Don't make it easy for an intruder to get in.  Don't broadcast you are leaving on a certain date and returning on a certain date.
• Have motion lights installed around the perimeter of the home.  Especially in front of doors and windows.  That way if someone is at the door, you can see them at night. 
• Make your home look like someone is there.  Put lights inside and outside the home on timers to come on at dusk and go off at your regular time you retire for the evening.  Put your radio or TV on a timer to go on and off each night.  Don't set up your voicemail to give when you are gone and when you will return.
• Stop your mail and newspaper delivery.  Newspapers and mail are a big clue you are gone.  Stop delivery or have someone get your mail daily.
• Have someone check your house on a daily basis while you are gone.  Be sure they check doors and windows.  Check randomly each day.  Start a neighborhood watch program.  Become a good neighbor while others are away.  Add an alarm system to your home.

If you come home and find your house or the house you are checking has been broken into, there are some steps to follow to help police solve the crime.

• Don't go in.  Let the police check the house and collect evidence to help in solving the crime.  Don't walk around the house or pick up anything in the yard.  It could have been used to commit the crime.
• Call the police.  Let them check the home in case someone is still inside.  Protect yourself.  Call from a cell phone or a neighbor's home.
• Write down license plate numbers, description of the vehicle or vehicles, and description of possible suspects leaving the home.  Get as much information as you can if you see someone breaking into a house or leaving a home you are watching.  The more information you can provide, the more the police have to work on capturing the suspects. 

First Sergeant Jon Smithers of the Indiana State Police says "Do what you can to protect yourself from burglaries and thefts.  Don't leave valuables in plain view where someone can look in a window to see them lying out.  Use home safes or lock boxes to protect your valuables".

If you suspect a crime is in progress while driving down the road, call 911 or your local police department and give your name and the location you are at while making the call.  Give the road number, house number, the city and county you are in and any description of cars or other vehicles you see at that time.  Do not confront the suspects!  Let the police handle the situation.  Your neighbor will appreciate anything you can do to protect their property.

Source: Indiana State Police

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