A relaxing vacation away from home is something many people look forward to – including thieves targeting homes for a crime of opportunity.
While taking that long-awaited vacation to “get away from it all,” some vacationers, unfortunately, return home to find “it all” is no longer there. Home burglaries are generally higher during peak travel months. Nationally, a burglary happens every 13 seconds.
“We do have issues here in town with people going on vacation and then their home gets broken into,” Lt. Heather Smith of the Great Bend Police Department said. “People need to be careful with what they say on social media about leaving town; they need to make sure their home is secure along with their vehicle. We see a lot of vehicle theft as well. These crimes are like easy opportunities for thieves. If people are going on vacation they can call the police department and request a house watch. We will do extra patrols for people that are gone.”
According to Great Bend Police reports from April 2-16, there have been 27 reports of theft and/or burglaries in Great Bend. These might not be related to people being on vacation, but these crimes are happening within the city. Some of these cases involve vehicle theft, residential burglaries and theft from businesses.
“As the weather gets warmer we will see an increase in theft and burglaries,” Smith said. “It’s always up and down with these cases and how many we get. Just make sure everything is locked up and don’t keep items in view.”
According to AAA, burglars see vacations as an opportunity to target empty homes. It is important to take necessary precautions to enjoy your time away. Many home burglaries can be prevented by taking a few simple precautions.

Tips to protect your home while you’re away:
• Lock up. Many burglars enter a house through a window. Dead-bolt window and door locks, and slide locks for sliding glass doors are the first line of defense to secure your home. Check with your insurance agent for a discount on these devices.
• Use an alarm. Invest in an effective burglar alarm that alerts the police, fire department and other emergency services. Check with your insurance agent for a discount on alarm systems.
• Disconnect computers. Make sure any personal information on your computer is difficult to access. Disconnect your electronic devices from the Internet to prevent hackers.
• Keep your valuables locked and well-hidden. Consider arranging for safe, off-site storage of valuables. Also, engraved property is less attractive to burglars. Positive identification through engraving can also lead to a quicker recovery of stolen items.
• Make your home look inhabited. Use timers to turn lights on and off. Leave blinds and curtains in their normal position so that your house doesn’t have a closed-down look. Temporarily stop newspaper deliveries and arrange to have your mail picked up or held by the post office.
• Keep it trimmed. An unkempt lawn is also an indicator to burglars that you are away; hire a lawn service to maintain your yard if you will be gone for an extended period of time. It is also important to keep shrubbery trimmed around doors and windows. Don’t give a thief a convenient place to hide.
• Tell someone you trust. Ask a dependable neighbor, friend or family member to keep an eye on your home while you’re away and inform them who to contact in case of emergency. Also, make them aware of anyone who may be visiting your home while you are away such as yard maintenance workers.
• Keys to protection. Whoever is minding your house should also be given a key to your car in case the vehicle needs to be moved during an emergency. Never leave spare keys “hidden” under doormats or anywhere outside the house.
• Use discretion. Avoid discussing your vacation plans in public places such as at the grocery store or at your local café. Although vacations are exciting, try not to post about it on social media.
• Create a home inventory. In the event that you do need to file a claim, a home inventory of your possessions will help make the process easier.