The vacation season is upon us! Summer is a great time to get away, but be sure to follow these tips from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office to keep your empty house protected while you’re away!

Before You Go

• Reach out to your neighbors and ask them to keep an extra eye on your home and to contact you if they suspect something suspicious
• Put motion detector lights outdoors to help alert neighbors of any activity
• Close and lock all doors and windows, engage any deadbolts, and activate an alarm system if you have one
• Coordinate things to make the house look like someone is at home i.e. maintaining lawn care, having someone you trust collect your mail, leaving some lights on or randomize timers to set off different lights at different times
• Inform your local police department, they may be able to do an extra patrol by your neighborhood and if they have time may even shake your doors to double check that they are locked

In Case of an Emergency

Another precaution to take is to designate someone to respond to an emergency situation on your behalf. Make sure there is a way that this person can reach you. If you are traveling internationally and your phone doesn’t work, have an email address or some other way they can contact you in case of an incident like a fire or burglary.

For More Information

If you want more information about home safety you can visit the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office website, Like them on Facebook and Follow them on Twitter.