Protecting your home for the holidays

By Jenna Wilson

As the holiday season moves into full swing, law enforcement officers are reminding families to secure their homes before traveling.

Whether it’s going shopping for a few hours or traveling for a few days, the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department is sharing tips for families to protect their homes.

December and January recorded the most burglaries in 2023, according to FBI data. There were more than 70,000 burglaries at homes across the nation last December. While home thefts happen year-round, police say thieves often focus on crimes of opportunity.

“We often notice residents posting their holiday plans or where they’ll be traveling,” said Buchanan County Sheriff, Bill Puett. “If you’re online posting you’re going to Colorado for 10 days during the holiday, well that informs criminals they have about 10 days to go and burglarize or steal from your home.”

Steps to secure your home can be as simple as parking a car in your driveway or leaving your lights on, Puett added.

St. Joseph law enforcement officers even perform vacation checks where individuals can fill out a form and officers will monitor the home while you’re away.

“If possible, don’t post anything on social media until you’re back from vacation,” said Puett. “Make it look like someone is at home and if you have a friend or family member that can, ask them to come by and turn the lights on and off.”

Homeowners may also consider investing in a home camera system to help police with investigations in case a burglary does occur.

In addition, if packages are being delivered to your home often, you can request your mail to be held or ask a trusted neighbor or friend to collect it so thieves don’t see mail and packages piling up, which can make your home a target.

A form can be completed to request an officer to periodically check on your residence or business at this link.