Summertime solace

Summertime - the sun is out, the weather is hot and many families take the opportunity of schoolfree days to take a much needed family vacation.

Many criminals take the family-free opportunity to make some much needed quick cash selling stolen goods.

There are a few things residents should do before leaving homes unoccupied for an extended amount of time, Pea Ridge Police Chief Tim Ledbetter said. A primary consideration is to stop delivery of newspapers and put delivered mail on hold.

“Newspapers in the yard gives a sign that nobody is home,” he said.

He also recommends purchasing a timer for light systems.

“Notify your local law enforcement agency and request a property watch. We ask the times and dates you are out of town and for an emergency phone number. Let us know if someone will be staying at the house,” Ledbetter said.

Corporal Lon Brown agreed.

“Make sure to leave emergency contact numbers with us. We’re not going to go out and buy a new front door if yours gets kicked in, but you may have family in the area that can do that. Let us know if someone is going to be there, we don’t want to meet them on the other end of our firearms,” he said.

A property watch is free of charge, local law enforcement officers will drive by the residence at different times day and night.

Brown cautioned also aboutsocial networking Web sites, such as Facebook.

“Always use caution with what you put on Facebook with vacation times and dates and when you are arriving and leaving,” he said.

Any information of the Internet can be accessed by anyone, he said. A status update stating a person will be gone for a certain amount of days could be inviting to a criminal.

Brown urged to also secure firearms.

“Everything else is just material things, but firearms are dangerous,” he said.

Ledbetter added to make sure any property of value,anything that can be carried off such as a bicycle, is locked up and secured.

“Try to make things appear as close to normal as possible,” he said.

News, Pages 1 on 06/30/2010