Good Neighbors - Neighborhood Watch

A vacant home is more susceptible to burglary. You can take measures to reduce the likelihood of a break-in. It is a good idea to tell your neighbors when you're on vacation and ask them to keep an eye on your home.

There's always someone home in the neighborhood, so it's a good idea to talk to good neighbors, let them know if you are going away and ask them to keep an eye out for suspicious activity.

Some people ask someone to check in occasionally

Some people are so close with their neighbors that they'll give one of them a key to their apartment so they can go there regularly to get the mail, turn on the lights, adjust the curtains, and so on.

Visible supervision of a home reduces the likelihood of a break-in

A burglar who sees that they're being watched will usually leave quickly.

It can be very important for the police to get a description of the people, vehicles, and license plates.

An attentive neighbor can both deter a thief and provide information to the police. It's better to call the police once too often with information like this than once too little.

Alert neighbors can provide information that helps solve cases

There are numerous examples of burglaries being solved because neighbors were alert, kept an eye on their neighbors' homes, and notified the police of suspicious activity and vehicles.

Be on the lookout for suspicious activity

It often happens that people ring doorbells, and when the door is answered, they ask for someone by name and say they were supposed to pick them up for work or something similar. When told that no such person lives there, they often apologize, saying they got the wrong street. Sometimes these people use other excuses and reasons. They are often checking if anyone is home with the intention of breaking in.

It's important to advise people to be on guard against such individuals, monitor their movements, and report them to the police.