With winter break quickly approaching, student apartments can become a target for burglary during the break. The Normal Police Department and Off-Campus Services have a few tips to keep your possessions and residence safe:
• Do not pack your car the night before you go home.
• Lock all doors and windows before you leave your residence.
• Keep valuables such as computers, gaming systems, iPods, or jewelry out of plain view.
• When leaving for extended breaks, take all valuable items with you.
• Keep a master list of larger, valuable items with make, model, and serial numbers, or take pictures.
• Ask a friend to keep an eye on your residence while you are away.
• Leave your curtains exactly as you usually keep them when you are home, since noticeable changes could hint that you are not there.
• Unplug your television, computer, toaster oven, and other appliances to protect from power surges.
• You may be tempted to set your heat very low or turn it off while you are gone to save money. Do not turn your heat off and check your lease for minimum temperature settings. This will prevent frozen or burst pipes in the event of very cold temperatures.
Also, as we prepare for winter weather, remember to pay close attention to parking bans that occur during snowfall so you do not receive a parking ticket. To learn more, visit the Town of Normal website or contact Leadership and Community Connections at (309) 438-7346.
