Protect Your Home While Away on Winter Break

If you live off campus and will be leaving the area during winter break, there are some things you should do to help secure your apartment or house.

Before leaving town ...

• Lock all doors and windows.


• If you don't have deadbolt locks on your doors, purchase and install them (or ask your landlord to do it for you).


• Ask a reliable neighbor, friend or your block club to check your apartment while you are away.
• Purchase three or four automatic timers and set them to go on and off at multiple times during a 24-hour period. Put fresh light bulbs in the lamps you're using so that the bulbs won't b urn out while you are gone.
• Have your mail held at the post office or ask a reliable neighbor to collect it for you. To hold your mail, you can download the Postal Service form at http://www.usps.com/forms/_pdf/ps8076.pdf.
• If you have a newspaper delivered, contact the newspaper and have it stopped for the time you will be away. Piled-up papers or mail is a signal to burglars that you are away.
• Make arrangements for someone to plow your driveway and shovel your walkways while you are gone. An unplowed driveway is another signal to burglars.
• Either take valuable items with you or make a list of these items, with serial numbers, purchase dates and costs. Then, take the list with you.
• Contact University Police (645-2228), ask to borrow an "Operation ID" engraver, engrave larger valuable items (i.e., television, stereo, computer) and register them with University Police.
• If you don't have renter's insurance, consider purchasing it to insure your valuables.
• If you want to park your car on campus during break, contact Campus Parking and Transportation Services at 645-3943.

Best wishes for a happy holiday season and a wonderful, safe break.