The situation: You and your family come home from a getaway, eager to settle in for Christmas.
But the pleasant scene you left behind - piles of gifts beneath a spotlighted tree in the front window - has been ransacked. Presents have been slashed open, belongings sifted through.You have no idea when your house was burglarized.
What you should do: Don't enter your house. First, look for broken windows and other signs of entry. If there's been a break-in, stay out, says Lance LoRusso, crime prevention officer with the Cobb County Police in Marietta, Ga. Instead, go to a neighbor's and call police. If you're in your house when you realize you've been burglarized, leave immediately. The thief might still be there, and you should never risk physical harm to save your possessions.
What you shouldn't do: Don't disturb evidence by trying to figure out what was taken. If you think the burglar is still in the house, don't try to get to a hidden gun. The burglar may have found your weapon already.
How to avoid the situation: Before leaving on vacation, move gifts and valuables from display. Put timers on lights and leave a TV or radio on, since most burglaries occur during the day. Bring hidden keys indoors. Have your mail and newspaper stopped, or ask a neighbor to pick them up and take trash to your curb on pickup day. Notify police when you leave so they can watch your home.
Documenting your possessions and their serial numbers and videotaping every room in your house can help police recover stolen items. Leave jewelry/valuables with a neighbor, or in a safe or safe deposit box. LoRusso advises vacationers not to hide valuables in the master bedroom or its closet, between a mattress and box spring, or in an underwear drawer.
- E. Lenhard, Cox News Service