Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Offers Tips for Property Protection during Vacation Season

(Walhalla, SC)-------------------------------------With vacation season in full swing, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is offering some safety tips as it relates to property protection for those who are traveling for vacation or enjoying the various recreational opportunities in Oconee County.

“While many people travel to locations outside of Oconee County for vacation, many of our citizens, and those from around the southeast, travel to Oconee County to enjoy our lakes, mountains and hiking locations during the spring and summer vacation season,” says Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw.  “We want everyone to enjoy this time with their family and friends.  With that in mind, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is offering some property protection safety tips to protect your property at your home or in your vehicle when your travel.”

First, here are some tips to remember when you are out at the lake, in the mountains or going for a hike:

·         Make sure to always lock your vehicles.  Also, secure any valuable items (wallets, purses, computers, tablets, firearms, bags, etc.) in the trunk or store away of your vehicle.  You may want to consider only carrying the basic essentials (identification, cash, credit or debit cards) on your person while you are traveling for recreational opportunities. 

·         Make sure to park in well-lit areas.

·         If you are spending the day in a state or county park or recreation area, and you see someone or something suspicious, contact the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office (864-638-4111).  This could include someone wearing gloves or a sweatshirt during hot and humid weather.  Thieves will sometimes work in teams or as part of a criminal organization and will travel around to different parks and recreation areas in order to commit crimes. 

Secondly, here are some tips to remember to protect your property at your home if you are traveling for vacation:

·         Make sure that your doors and windows are locked, not only at your residence, but at any storage buildings on your property.  

·         Invest in technology around your home and property.  Purchase and install doorbell cameras and Wi-Fi cameras.  In places where Wi-Fi in not available, use trail cameras or cellular cameras.  If possible, place those cameras in areas around your property near vehicles, garages and shops or places where items are located that are the most important to you.  Remember that quality video and pictures can improve the chances of solving a crime and are useful in identifying suspects or persons of interest. 

·         Install lighting in and around your home, especially if you live in an area where there is very little street lighting.  You may want to consider using a timer to turn the lights on inside of your house during the evening, plus, consider leaving a TV or radio on inside if you are gone in order to give the appearance that someone is home.

·         Do not place valuable items inside your home which can be viewed through a window from the outside.  Blinds and drapes are good items to purchase which can prohibit a view of the inside of your home from the outside.

·         If you are selling items, such as utility trailers, don’t leave them in plain sight near the road in front of your house, such as during nighttime hours or when you are not home.  Move them to a more secure location overnight or when you are gone from home. 

·         You may also want to consider installing locks, such as tongue locks, wheel locks or chains, on your utility trailers to further aid in protecting them from theft.

·         If you are going to be gone from home on vacation, either stop mail delivery or have a trusted friend or neighbor pick up your mail.  You may also ask that same trusted friend or neighbor to stop by your house on a regular basis, while you are gone, to check your property and make sure that everything is secure.

·         If you own a business, or if you have pieces of large equipment around your  home, you may want to use technology, such as Apple or Android Smart tags or some type of GPS tracker, on your equipment so if it is stolen, it may be easier to track the location of that equipment. 

     Property Crime Investigators also remind you to write down serial numbers on all valuable and important items, especially firearms.  If those items are stolen, serial numbers can be entered into the National Crime Information Center database.  If those items are recovered after being entered NCIC, it could facilitate the stolen items being returned to the owners quicker.

     And finally, if you are traveling away from home, wait until you return home before posting pictures of your trip on social media.  If you post pictures on social media while you are on vacation, it could help to identify your home and property as a potential target for thieves. 

     Make sure to watch the latest edition of The Deputy podcast on the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office You Tube channel, which features ways to protect yourself from being the victim of a property crime.  The Podcast features a conversation between Corporal Jimmy Watt, Public Information Office for the Sheriff’s Office, and Sgt. Clay Sheriff, an Investigator with the Property Crimes Unit.