As you begin to celebrate this holiday season, the UCI Police Department we would like to remind you that ‘tis the season for thievin’. Consider adding the following crime prevention tips to your to do list.
At home for the holidays:
Do always lock all doors and windows whenever you leave your home. Burglars often operate during the day, so don’t forget to secure your home when you make a quick trip to the store or take the dog for a walk.
Do use timers to turn on a radio and lights. Timers are not just for vacation time, but should be used daily to keep your home well-lit and to give the appearance that someone is there.
Do always turn off tree lights when you are away to prevent a fire, if you decorate a live tree.
Do always keep your porch lights on from dusk to dawn using photo cells and/or timers.
Do not display holiday gifts and other valuables in places where they will be easily seen from your windows or doors.
When you leave for dinner or to go out for the evening:
Do consider leaving the TV on and calling out to a fictitious family member or roommate (who will “stay home”). For example:
“Tom, don’t forget to let the dog out!”, or
“Make sure you take the casserole out of the oven when the timer goes off”, or
Any other statement that would imply (to anyone that might be watching your home) that someone is still inside while you are gone.
Do call the police to report anything suspicious. If you see an unfamiliar vehicle, suspicious person, or anything out of the ordinary when leaving your home, contact your local police department’s non-emergency line which can be found at the following link: http://ocgov.com/residents/law/safety/police If you live on campus contact UCIPD’s non-emergency line at (949) 824-5223.
When you go away for the holidays:
Do have a trusted neighbor watch your home and pick-up your newspapers and mail.
Do contact your local police department which can be found at the link above to inquire about & request a FREE Vacation Check. This is a popular service that many police departments offer during the holidays.
Do secure your garage door with a vacation bolt or pad lock and disable the remote access.
Do not advertise that you are out of town on your phone message or social profile.
Considerations for dorm residents:
Do always lock up your dorm room when you & your roommates are not there.
Do obtain a footlocker or safe for any valuable kept in your dorm room.
Do obtain insurance for your belongings of high value.
Do identify valuables for insurance claims by taking pictures, serial numbers, etc.
Do lock up your car every time you leave it somewhere on campus.
Do not leave items of high value laying out in “plain sight” even in your dorm room.
Do not leave items unattended outside of your dorm room.
Do not loan your dorm keys to anybody or let people borrow security passwords.
Do not prop open building entrance doors or your personal dorm room door anytime.
Do not post on your door, bulletin board, social media or anywhere else that you will be away.
We encourage the community to partner with the UC Irvine Police Department to prevent or report crime by calling (949) 824-5223. If you wish to remain Anonymous, call “OC Crime Stoppers” by dialing 855-TIP-OCCS (855-847-6227), text "OCCS" plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or use the website http://occrimestoppers.org/
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UC Irvine Police Department
(949) 824-5223
http://police.uci.edu/
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