Police share tips on avoiding break-ins over spring break

By Chris Fortune

Spring break is when many families choose to go on vacation, leaving houses vacant and more vulnerable to break-ins, but police say there are steps you can take to keep your home safe.

One of the most common mistakes someone can make is announcing a vacation on social media. Oversharing vacation details on social media can make people aware of when you are gone. Sgt. Patrick Zeamer with the St. Joseph Police Department said it is like publicly announcing you’re not home.

“All that does is people who troll those Facebook pages and stuff see that they’re not home,” he said. “It gives them an opportunity. And most crimes are about crime of opportunity.”

Residents going on vacation can help close that window of opportunity by filling out a form on the SJPD website requesting that police keep an eye on your residence.

“I receive those, and that gets put in our system,” he said. “And then we have officers go by and check those residences. It also lets us know when they’re gone and when they’re going to be back, what cars are supposed to be there, what cars aren’t supposed to be there, who’s supposed to be there checking in on the house.”

The form also gives residents the opportunity to provide an emergency contact in case police find something at the residence and need to get hold of someone.

It’s the preferred choice of one Country Club resident when he goes out of town.

“They actually get out of their car, go around the house and make sure everything’s okay,” John Clemens said.

It also helps to have a good relationship with a neighbor. Clemens looks after his neighbor’s house, and they return the favor.

“We sort of look over their place while they’re gone,” he said. “We take care of their flowers in the summer, that type of thing.”

Generous neighbors gave one Troy resident peace of mind during a vacation earlier in the year.

“They’re a really nice, sweet old couple,” Daniel Karns said. “And then when we did go on vacation, we just kind of went in and said, ‘Hey, just if you see anything, just let us know.’”

Karns utilizes security cameras as well, but his family also checks on his home and takes care of his pets.

“We do have two cats, too,” he said. “And so they did come by once in a while for feed and water and to make sure they were all okay.”

Zeamer said it helps to have someone to trust and check on a residence at intermittent times to show that people are coming and going from the home.

“Show that there’s somebody coming and going,” he said. “And when you come over, don’t make it the same time. Come over at a different time so people don’t make a plan that every day at 5 o’clock this person shows up in this area from 5 to 7 (o’clock).