The holidays are coming and, for some, that means a few things: trips to visit family, vacations and holiday parties.
The bustling holiday season can be stressful — with budgeting, family plans and more — but sometimes another nagging question can further increase the strain: How safe is your unattended house and the belongings inside?
To ease the minds of residents, James City County Police are providing a check-in service where officers visit unattended houses on a regular basis to make sure nothing is awry.
James City County residents can sign up for house checks online or by phone, police spokeswoman Stephanie Williams said. During the checks, officers will increase their patrols in the specified neighborhood and look around the house for anything suspicious or out of the ordinary.
In some cases, they will check the locks, look inside or more, depending on the circumstances.
It’s not a new service, Williams said, but it’s been popular over the years.
Last year 260 people had police perform house checks while they were away. This year, 220 residents have asked for the service.
The house checks are free, but must be set up in advance. The service is offered year-round.
When signing up for the checks, residents can provide information on the days and times they are away, if there are any lights on a timer, a local contact, the home’s alarm company, cars or animals at the house and more.
Schedule a police house check by calling the James City County Police Department at 757-259-5140 or visiting the Police to Citizen system.
