By Mary Isamoyer, News Intern

As the summer continues on many people are still planning to go on vacation.

While the break from the day  to day may be much needed, often vacation destinations are hundreds of miles away from people’s cherished belongings and their homes. Home security should be considered before leaving on a trip.

When you leave your home behind, you could be leaving behind an opportunity for a criminal to enter your property.

Burglaries don’t only happen when people go on vacation.

Burglaries are usually a crime of opportunity, said Birdsboro Police Chief Ted Roth.

“Bad guys look for any opportunity to prey on the innocent. Unless precautions are taken, an unoccupied home can present a tempting target,” said Crime Prevention Officer David Behm from the Exeter Township Police Department.

The best advice for those going out of town said Behm is “consider a house-sitter to look after your home while your absent, file a vacation report, and consider getting multiple timers that will activate lights through out the home.”

The following are some tips to keep your property secure while you are on vacation:

• Consider a house sitter.

House sitters can be friends, neighbors, or relatives.

Behm suggests that residents have someone they trust look in on their properties frequently.

• File a vacation report.

“Notify the Police Department that you’re away,” Roth said. 

In both Birdsboro and Exeter there are forms that residents can complete. On the vacation report, residents may be asked the following information: dates and times of vacations, people authorized to be at the home in their absences, what their cars look like and a contact number for when they are on vacation.

• Leave the lights on.

“Criminals don’t like lights,” Roth said.

In a “Cops Corner” article printed in the Exeter newsletter Behm wrote, “Bad guys hate light. It’s just that simple. Criminals do not like to be seen.”

Lights with timers or even a low wattage light bulb on a porch can stop a criminal from trying to enter homes.

• Having good locks.

According to a “Cops Corner” article written by Behm you should buy an extra dead bolt for every exterior door. The article further suggests that residents make sure that they purchase a lock with a knob on the inside and a keyhole on the outside.

• Look as if you are at home.

“A lot of bad guys look for piled up mail and newspaper deliveries,” Behm said. He said homes without activity for an extended period of time as well as dark areas around the home where someone could gain access to the home are something that burglars look for.

• Keep your information private.

According to Behm, the crime prevention unit recommends that you do not advertise your absences on electronic media. Posting that you are going out of town on MySpace or  Facebook can be an invitation.

“So many people have access to that nonsense,” Roth said. “Personal information should never be broadcasted on those networks.”