Menlo Park Police Department offers tips about keeping your home safe while vacationing

During the summer months families everywhere choose to take vacations. Unfortunately, this can leave their homes and personal belongings vulnerable to burglary and theft. The Menlo Park Police Department would like to offer a few suggestions for keeping your home safe while you are away.

Temporarily discontinue delivery of your newspaper and have the post office hold your mail. It is a very simple process to contact the post office and have a vacation hold put on your mail during the time that you are away. If you have trusted neighbors whom you have built a relationship with you could also ask them to check your mail and pick up your paper for you.

Create the impression that your residence is occupied by leaving lights on or investing in timers for your lights. This makes your home look lived in even when you are away.

Do not circulate information on social networking sites that you are going on vacation indicating that your home will be left unattended. In fact, it may be sensible to hire someone to stay at your home and take care of your premises while you are away.

Most importantly, lock all doors and windows and never leave a spare house key hidden on your property. Burglars know exactly where to look.