By Kelly Youngblood
For many people, part of the joy of the holiday season is traveling to visit family and friends they may not see very often; unfortunately, that opens up an opportunity for burglars to take advantage of the increase in empty homes.
Thankfully, there is a way to have some peace of mind if you happen to be traveling this Christmas. The Urbana, Champaign, and Mahomet police departments offer a vacation watch program- it’s a free service to the community that allows officers to check on residences while people are away from home for extended periods of time.
Urbana Police Department
Urbana residents requesting vacation watch are asked to email vacationwatch@urbanaillinois.
- Address
- Name of resident (including cell phone or emergency contact number)
- Departure and return date
- Name and telephone number of a key holder (someone the police can contact in the even there is a problem discovered at the residence.)
- Will there be lights left on in the house? Are they on timers?
- Will there be vehicles in the driveway? If so, list color, make model, and license plate number.
- Will someone be checking on the house? (mail, looking after pets, watering plants)?
Just be sure to contact police if you return earlier than planned.
Champaign Police Department
City of Champaign Police Officers also provide vacation watch patrol services, “when their time and calls for services allows it,” according to Rene Dunn, Asst. to the Chief of Police for Community Services. Residents are asked to call the police department at 217-351-4545 to request extra patrol.
Dunn encourages Champaign residents to keep their home and garage doors locked at all times and when leaving home, curtains should be drawn and valuable items removed from plain sight of any window.
Dunn says thieves are known to target homes where gifts and valuable are likely to be present during the holiday season.
Residents are also encouraged to activate neighborhood watch groups and report any illegal activity. If traveling for the holidays, Dunn advises residents to:
- Leave a light on inside and outside of your home;
- Lock up jewelry, coins and other valuables;
- Request “vacation watch” patrols from the police department;
- Ask a neighbor to keep an eye on your home and report any suspicious activities around your property.
Mahomet Police Department
Village of Mahomet residents going out of town can request a security check by clicking here for the form. Just print, complete and return the form to the Mahomet Police Department. Forms are also available at the Police Department at 303 E. Oak Street. For more information, call 217-586-5533.
Many other police departments in the area offer vacation watch programs so contact your local law enforcement agency to find out more.