If you have any questions I would be happy to answer them.

I often leave the television on, the blinds closed and a light on while I'm away. How effective is that?

Does the Urbandale PD still offer vacation checks for residents?

Do other police departments in the area offer vacation checks for residents?

Vacations aside, what do police recommend to discourage home burglars?

The Iowa City Police Department offers House Watch. A program similar to the vacation watch in other towns, where officers check homes while the owners are away. Simply call 319-356-5276 and ask to be added to the watch list. The dispatcher will ask a few simple questions and officers will make the checks in your absence.

Insurance folks, how do burglaries affect premiums? Do homeowners who install alarms and take other precautions pay lower premiums?

Burglaries, as with other crimes, are based on opportunity. We have calls daily on subjects walking down streets checking doors. The burglar will pick the house that offers the least chance of getting caught with the highest pay out. Increase the chances that a burglar will be witnessed (Natural Surveillance), and you decrease their opportunity to victimize you.

-Lighting is the #1 deterrent of night time crime. Fill the gaps with lighting by adding motion lights on the back and sides of your house. Eliminate the areas someone may try to hide.
-Landscaping can often be used to conceal a burglary. Use the 3ft. 5ft. rule when trimming your landscaping to open up Natural Surveillance. Trim bushes down to 3ft. and tree canopies up to 5ft. Allowing for a 2ft window in between. Also, consider adding thorny vegetation under windows to discourage entry.
-The more time spent to enter a home, the better the chances the burglar will be witnessed (Access Control). Many strike plates (where the deadbolt enters the door frame) are only secured with 3/4" to 1" screws, making the door easier to be kicked. Removing the smaller screws and installing 2" or greater screws, increases the door strength significantly and makes the burglar work a lot longer to enter.

These are just a few inexpensive things that can "Target Harden" your home.

Sgt. Ken O'Brien (West Des Moines Police)
These are all great suggestions. The last piece of this puzzle is developing strong neighborhood relationships. If you see something suspicious don't hesitate to call police to investigate. Oftentimes when we get called to a residential burglary we do a neighborhood canvass and found out after the fact that a neighbor saw something or someone suspicious and failed to call the police because that just weren't sure if they should call. We would rather have you call and found out that it's nothing than not call at all. Try and get a good description of the suspicous person/vehicle and share that with the dispatcher when you call. DO NOT approach the suspicious situation on your own....let the police do that. Be a good witness for us.

I have seen warnings from law enforcement about the dangers of using social media - Facebook - to post pictures or your vacation or provide details about your trip, while you are still away. They say wait until you get home. Waterloo issued a warning like that recently: http://patch.com/A-v5T9. This seems pretty ingrained these days. How big of a risk is this? And, have you come across many cases along these lines?

Always document your belongings within your household with video or pictures. I submited a blog that goes along with this article. It helps to know a few things from an Insurance point of view. http://waukee.patch.com/blog_posts/creating-a-home-inventory-what-have-you-got-to-lose

Good afternoon. I am currently the Community Resource Officer (CRO) for the Ames Police Department. I see some really great questions on a very important topic. I’ll try to jump in and add some comments.

What should you do if you come home and suspect your house has been broken into? (Broken window or lock, etc.) Or the worst case scenario - if you encounter a burglar in your home? What is the best way to react to stay safe in that situation?

B.A.,
Social media is a hot topic as you know. I would say the risk is there, but probably not as great as leaving the house looking like you’re gone. You’re right, I would wait to post critical trip information until you’re back but let’s face it, you want to show friends and family that you’re on the beach or mountain when the rest of the world is at work. To reduce the risk of someone targeting your residence while you are gone I would first have you focus your attention on securing your social media profiles from any unwanted attention. Make sure you limit who can view your photos and profile to reduce the risk of someone seeing where you are, or better yet, where you are not. I would also mention that there are many applications attached to smart phones that automatically post your location on social media sites. I would use caution when using these programs. It’s just like leaving a note on the front door saying you’re not home. Securing your profiles, reading privacy notices, and limiting the about of information friends and acquaintances see will reduce the chances someone takes advantage of that well deserved vacation.

Any ideas for the apartment dwellers among us? It's hard for neighbors NOT to know when you're away, even if the newspaper's stopped, the car remains in the garage, etc.

Alison,
If you come home and find a broken window and missing screen, a door standing open, visible damage to locks or pry marks, or you notice items have been moved and are out of place inside, I would recommend leaving the residence and calling 911. If you have a cell phone start getting some distance from the house or walk to the neighbor’s house where you can still keep an eye on the front or back door or retreat to your vehicle so you have a means of escape should need it. As you mentioned, worst case scenario is that someone is still inside. Our first reaction is to see what might be missing or damaged. Call and let officers go through each room and make sure there in no one inside. If there is any physical evidence left behind it is also easier for officers to recover it if you haven’t walked on or touched anything the suspect(s) may have left behind or disturbed.
Now, if you’ve already gone through the house and notice things are missing I would call the non-emergency number. In Ames it is 515-239-5133.

Todd,
Apartment living is challenging, but is not that different from living down the block in a house. My recommendations would start off the same as if I was speaking to a homeowner. Start by getting to know your neighbors. Chances are you see them on a daily basis like you mentioned. There is a good chance you’ll meet someone in the building that you can trust to check the front door and windows once a day while you’re gone. Make sure you tell the property management you’ll be away. Most companies complete maintenance during peak break and vacation times. Tell them when you’ll be gone and instruct them NOT to post any entry or maintenance notices on your door while you’re gone. These notices are an easy indicator that you’re away if they haven’t been removed in a week. Give them written permission to enter during your absence. Depending on the type of property you live in, some might have private or company security. Request that they do spot checks of your apt while you’re gone. If your local police department does vacation checks, contact them also. During the winter months, allow a neighbor to park in your parking stall or have a friend shovel and clear off the snow from your vehicle. You can also use timers for lights and the TV, just make sure you set the volume correctly before you go. –Make sure to document your belongings and keep the records in a safe place.

Jessica,

A secured apartment don't usually get burglarized. With that said it does happen. tenants are leaving or coming in and for some reason lets another person in or a theif lives in that apartment building. It does help keep those unwanted persons out but there are always ways to get around it. But for the most part they are pretty rare.

Jessica,
We currently don't separate out our statistics by building security type, but that is a good question. Personally I know if I had the choice of a renting an apt in a secure building vs. a non-secured building, I would go for that extra layer of protection. A common thing that I do see around town is tenants propping the security doors open. It is really important that all entrances and exits remain closed and locked to help prevent that target of opportunity. It is even more important to lock YOUR doors. Just like with vehicles, there are people trying to find unlocked doors. If you encounter someone walking into your apt. and they tell you they're looking for John or Jane's place and must have the wrong apt. please call the police. You never know if they just stole all of your neighbors belongings and moved on to your apt, but got caught. If it was an honest mistake, no harm done.