Its a great time of year to take a vacation. Just remember that while your enjoying the hot, beautiful weather. The thieves are enjoying your time away from home just as much as you are:
by RCMP – Story: 59833
Jan 31, 2011 / 11:36 am
Castanet News

Burglars struck a Kelowna home twice in the last 24 hours.
On January 31 at just after 2:30 a.m., neighbours heard noises and saw people moving inside a home in the 1400 block of Lambert Avenue.
“The neighbours knew that the owner of the home was not in the home at the time so they called police who arrived in time to see the culprits fleeing,” says RCMP constable Steve Holmes.
He says a 25-year-old Kelowna man ran from police, only to be caught in a nearby hedge.
The second robber, a 20-year-old Surrey resident, was arrested as he stepped outside the home.
Both men were taken into custody and will be in court on Monday, January 31, to face a charge of break, enter and theft and possession of stolen property.
The 25-year-old faces an additional charge of breach of a curfew condition stemming from a previous criminal code charge.
Both men are known to police.
The victim’s home had already been robbed once in the previous 24 hours.
On January 30, just after 4:30 a.m., two unknown men were witnessed loading items into a truck/camper that was parked at the residence.
Police responded and found that one of the doors to the home had been forced open.
“Patrols were made but the camper was not located,” says Holmes.
At just before 11 p.m. that same day, the same truck/camper vehicle was seen in the driveway to the residence but drove away shortly after.
Police are investigating any link between the two suspects and the suspicious vehicle.
Source: Castanet News
————————————————————————————————————————————
At Spy vs Spy, Our primary goal is the safety and security of not only your home, but every aspect of your life, including commercial and personal security as well.
To this end, we have collated a short list of tips and recommendations to keep your home safe while you are away:
Home Security Vacation Tips:
Exterior Lighting: Put outdoor lighting on either timers, light-sensitive photocell mechanisms, or motion detectors. You want your home to have the “occupied look” in order to deter criminals. All potential entry points such as windows, doors, garage, and basement entrys should be illuminated.
Interior Lighting: Use timers to activate inside lighting, radios, or TVs to give the impression that someone is home.
Keys and Locks: Don’t hide keys in mailboxes, under door mats, or any other place that burglars will know to look. Leave a spare key with a trusted neighbor instead.
Identity Theft: While away on vacation secure any important valuables, credit cards, etc. in a safe or safety deposit box. Make it hard for criminals to find what they are looking for.
Security Systems: Ensure your security system is armed and provide instructions to the central monitoring station (should you have one) to call your cell phone, police, security patrol guard, and/or a neighbor.
Inform a Neighbor: Let a neighbor know of your absence. Ask them to keep an eye on your house, collect daily newspapers, collect the mail, and put garbage out on trash pickup days, etc. Ask them to watch out for any visitors who might be in your yard. Be sure to leave a contact phone number so that the neighbor can contact you or someone trusted in the event of a problem.
Grass and Snow: Arrange to have your walkway and drive shoveled and plowed. Have the grass cut during your absence.
Car in the Driveway: Ask one of your neighbors or friends to park a car in your driveway while away. This will give the appearance of someone being home.
Word of Mouth: Don’t tell anyone that you are leaving except immediate family and very close friends. Try not to mention your departure around the office or at the ballpark or at the gym. A passerby or someone listening in might be someone who would take advantage of you while you are gone. Do not post vacation plans on Facebook! (As tempting as that is.)
Lock Everything: Lock all doors and windows obviously, but lock everything else as well. Make sure all expensive items, such as tool chests, recreational vehicles, etc are secured as well. Also make sure to lock barns, garages and sheds as well. Oftentimes, if a thief cannot gain entry to your home they will try to access other areas of your property as well.
Follow these tips and you too can have a safe, worry-free vacation.
For more information please contact us at:
Spy vs Spy – The Spy Store
Security Alarm Systems
1850 Kirschner Road
Kelowna, BC V1Y 4N6
http://www.spyvsspy.com/
W: 250-868-8812
F: 250-868-0008
Email: info@spyvsspy.com
Don’t tell anyone that you are leaving except immediate family and very close friends. Try not to mention your departure around the office or at the ballpark or at the gym. A passerby or someone listening in might be someone who would take advantage of you while you are gone.