Vacation Tips

Here are some tips to help protect your home from crime when you are out-of-town:

ASK A NEIGHBOR TO PICK UP YOUR MAIL AND NEWSPAPERS OR DISCONTINUE THEM WHILE ON VACATION.

PUT AN AUTOMATIC TIMER ON A MINIMUM OF 2 LIGHTS AND VARYING THE TIMES THAT THEY LIGHT.

TURN ON AS MANY RADIOS AS POSSIBLY- PREFERABLY TUNED TO A TALK SHOW. THE SOUND OF VOICES IN THE HOUSE CAN BE A DETERRENT.

CONSIDER SENSORS FOR OUTSIDE LIGHTS SO THE LIGHTS GO ON AUTOMATICALLY WHEN MOTION IS DETECTED.

TELL A NEIGHBOR, RELATIVE OR FRIEND WHEN YOU ARE LEAVING FOR VACATION. INCLUDE TRIP PLANS AND PHONE NUMBERS WHERE YOU CAN BE REACHED.

ASK A TRUSTED NEIGHBOR TO KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR HOUSE WHILE YOU'RE AWAY. TELL THEM TO CALL THE POLICE IF THEY SEE ANYTHING SUSPICIOUS, SUCH AS PEOPLE WALKING AROUND THE PROPERTY AND TO THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY, RINGING THE DOORBELL FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, SITTING IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE IN A VEHICLE FOR AN INAPPROPRIATE AMOUNT TIME. WE (THE POLICE) WOULD RATHER RESPOND TO A SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CONDITION CALL AND FIND NOTHING WRONG, THAN TO NOT BE CALLED AT ALL.
NEIGHBORS ARE THE BEST EYES AND EARS OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS FOR HELPING IN CRIME PREVENTION.

KEEP ARTICLES AWAY FROM YOUR HOUSE THAT CAN BE USED TO CLIMB UP TO A WINDOW. FOR INSTANCE, PICNIC TABLE, CHAIRS, LADDERS, GARBAGE PILES... ETC..

BLOOMFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS A VACANT HOUSE CARD SYSTEM. CALL THE BLOOMFIELD POLICE INFORMATION DESK (973-680-4000) YOU WILL NEED TO GIVE THE POLICE DESK INFORMATION: INCLUDE ANY PERSONS OR VEHICLES AUTHORIZED TO BE ON THE PROPERTY; DATES LEAVING AND RETURNING; WHO HAS A KEY IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY; WHAT LIGHTS ARE ON; HOW YOU CAN BE REACHED.
WHILE YOU ARE AWAY, THE INFORMATION WILL BE GIVEN TO YOUR LOCAL AREA PATROL CAR TO MAKE PERIODIC CHECKS OF YOUR PREMISES DURING YOUR VACATION.

If you have any questions at all, please feel free to call the Community Policing Unit 973-680-4278