The Champaign Police Department is reminding the public to employ the following safety measures, if traveling during Spring Break vacation, beginning March 20, 2010:
Protect your home and valuables:
- Remove all laptops, MP3 players and CD players out of the residence.
- Make sure all windows and doors to your residence remain locked; this includes garages and vehicles.
- If using an alarm monitoring service, notify them that you are leaving town and if someone will be watching your home.
- Never leave a telephone message on your answering machine indicating that you are out of town, or on vacation.
- Consider plugging lights and radios into timers throughout the house.
- Take all checkbooks, credits cards, identification and small valuable items with you or store in safe location outside of the home.
- Document serial numbers of valuable items and store list in a fireproof cabinet.
- Put a hold on newspaper and mail deliveries or ask a friend or neighbor to retrieve them for you.
If you are a victim of a burglary, please contact police immediately. When possible, avoid touching or moving objects or altering the area where the burglary occurred. This will reduce the chances of evidence being destroyed.