MONTGOMERY CO., Va. – Thousands of people across the United States are hitting the road to see family and friends for Thanksgiving, leaving their homes unattended.
To learn about some last-minute reminders for folks as they get ready for their break, I talked to Lieutenant Mark Hollandsworth with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
“Big thing is to make sure all the doors are locked,” said Lieutenant Hollandsworth. “If you have the motion sensor lights that come on outside, make sure that those are in good working condition.”
He said while everything may seem simple, it’s important to still make a quick checklist to ensure everything is secure.
“Let a neighbor know, they are some of the best sets of eyes that we have to help us,” said Hollandsworth. “If you have cameras, make sure those are working. We always encourage folks to lock their doors, turning on outside lights, whether they are motion sensor or not and have, possibly if it’s an extended amount of time, folks picking up your mail for you and picking up your packages.”
He also said if you are leaving town, many local departments will do home checks while you’re away.
“All they have to do is give us a call through our dispatch center and they will let us know when we can do extra patrols,” said Hollandsworth.
Here is a quick checklist for folks before they head out for the holiday:
- Lock your doors AND windows
- Check your cameras
- Tell a trusted neighbor
- Schedule any deliveries around while you are gone
- Turn on the outside lights
- Check for any fire hazards that occur while away.