Going Away for Holidays? Keep Your House Safe While You're Gone

This can be a hectic time of year, and if you're planning to go away for the holidays, it's all too easy to overlook crisis prevention.

While dashing around packing presents and suitcases, be conscious of any and all safety measures you should take before you start your travels. The Lake Orion Police Department (LOPD) and Oakland County Sheriff's Office offer these valuable tips for avoiding trouble while you're away:

• Vacation Watch: One of the best ways to protect your home is to be placed on “vacation watch” by your local police department or substation. LOPD offers this service, which entails officers driving past your home once per shift. The LOPD asks that you notify the department when you return home. Please use its nonemergency phone number — 248-693-8321 — to request the service. The Oakland County Sheriff's Office provides the same service once a day while homeowners are away. A form for the house check is available online at oakgov.com/sheriff. For more information, call 248-858-4950 to connect to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office. The dispatcher then forwards all house check calls to the appropriate substation, including the . 
• Spare key: Emergencies happen; so with that in mind, leave a spare key with a friend you trust in case something goes wrong in your home while you’re away. Also, even if a local police department is keeping an eye on your home, it's a good idea to have a neighbor keep a lookout as well.
• Look lived in: Making the house look occupied is key, according to the LOPD. Officials recommend using timers, set to your family's typical routine, for lights and even radios. Hiring someone to do a couple of things around the house — such as pick up the mail, newspaper and snow — is advisable.
• Quiet the phone: Another way to make the house appear occupied is to silence the ringer of your home phone. According to the LOPD, sometimes crooks will call the house phone if they are staking out the house to ensure no one is home. Silencing the ringer will make them question whether someone is on the phone or whether they have the right number.
• Secure garage: Having a second car parked in the driveway is always a good idea. Keeping the garage door opener in the vehicle while you’re gone is not. Be sure to remove the garage door opener and lock the door that connects the garage to the house before you leave.
• Don't share: Social media can be great to catch up with friends and notify the public about an upcoming event, but it can also be a forum that notifies criminals when people will and will not be at their house. The LOPD suggests not broadcasting your travel plans, just in case. Likewise, do not detail your travel plans on your answering machine or voicemail.
• Lock it up: Of course, make sure doors and windows are completely secured and locked and that all alarms are activated.