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Vacation Checklist

  1. Let your neighbor know you are going to be away and where you can be reached.
  2. Ask a neighbor to pick up your mail, packages and newspapers.
  3. Ask a neighbor to mow your lawn in the summer or shovel your walk in the winter.
  4. Ask a neighbor to use your trash cans or set their refuse at the curb in front of your home on trash collection day.
  5. Invite a neighbor to park a car in your driveway to give your home an even more "lived-in appearance." (Remember to thank your neighbor)
  6. Make your home look like you are there. Lights turned off and on by timers give your home a "lived-in look" when you are away.
  7. Have good locks. A high quality, one-inch deadbolt lock on every outside door is a basic requirement.
  8. Never leave your home unlocked, even for a brief trip to the store or a visit to the neighbor across the street. Many homes have been burglarized in just such short periods of time.
  9. Do not hide a key outside your home. Leave that extra key with a trusted neighbor or friend. If you have deadbolt cylinder locks, you must use a key to lock the door and can not possibly lock yourself out.
  10. Do not put a name or address tag on your house or car keys. That is an open invitation to an unwelcome visitor should you ever lose your keys.
  11. Plug a radio into a timer set to go on when you are away. Set the radio to an all-talk station, leave the volume low, and give a would-be burglar the impression you are talking to someone. Light and noise are burglars' worst enemies.
  12. Have a free home security inspection and be an active participant in Neighborhood Watch. REMEMBER: A thief wants to take the path of least resistance. Your participation in Neighborhood Watch provides the most resistance! For more information please call 703-255-6366.

Download the Police Department's House Check Request Form