Home Security Tips For Vacation Homes & Extended Travel

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — Another vacation home burglary was reported, this time at a Newport Beach Port Charles Place residence, according to police. The crime took place sometime between February 1 and April 19, according to the Newport Beach Police Department in recent release. It is a common story in an area where vacationers return after extended away time. All too often, they discover their homes ransacked and their possessions looted, according to police. In the case of the Port Charles Place home, it is a secondary residence for the owners.

"A neighbor normally keeps an eye on the property for the owners and discovered the unlocked door. They happened to look inside and saw some things tipped over," Information Officer Jennifer Manzella said. "A few bedrooms were reported ransacked with miscellaneous property left scattered on the floor."

Celebrity break-ins have been on the rise across California.

Nicki Minaj's Home in Hollywood Hills Burglarized and the Shameless Star Emily Rossum's home recently was robbed of two safes.

The homes of actress Jaime Pressly, model and reality TV star Kendall Jenner, recording stars Nicki Minaj and Alanis Morissette, Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig, Lakers guard Nick Young and former guard Derek Fisher have also been subject to burglaries or thefts in recent weeks, according to Los Angeles police and media reports.

When residents socially share or tag themselves as on vacation, these high profile homes become targets for burglary. In exclusive communities like Newport Beach, often homes left unattended for long periods of time fall victim to burglars looking for an easy target according to Manzella.

With no reports of suspicious activity, the Newport Beach Police Department has little to go on, a release from the department said.

In the time the home was empty "an unknown suspect gained access to the victim’s backyard through one of two unlocked side gates," Manzella said. "The suspect then forced open a rear sliding glass door leading into the kitchen."

Once inside, the suspect ransacked the bedrooms before fleeing out the front door, which was found unlocked.

The extent of the losses was unknown at the time of the report, according to release, and no suspect information was seen or heard. The homeowners are still evaluating the property to discern exactly what was lost in the burglary.

Neighbors, security alarms and notifying your local police department that you will be gone still remain the best way to keep your home safe.

"If you see suspicious activity within your neighborhood at a home where you know your neighbors are on vacation, have gone out for the evening, or their home is for sale, please call the Newport Beach Police Department immediately at 949-644-3717," Manzella said.

This list of Home Security Tips was provided by the Newport Beach Police Department. It's a combination of:

• Locks
• Lighting
• Landscape
• Technology

"The Home Security Checklist posted on our website, can be printed out and used to conduct a security assessment on your home to see what security measures you can take to harden the target of your house," she said.

Home Security Tips

If you return home and find your pedestrian door that leads into your home locked, and you are certain that you left it unlocked, DO NOT GO INSIDE!

• Call 9-1-1 ~ Burglars often lock this door to slow down a victim, allowing the burglar extra time to get out of the home before the resident enters.
• If your home is equipped with an alarm, always activate it even if you’re only going out for a short walk.
  • Consider adding a motion sensor in your master bedroom/bathroom, which will activate the alarm if someone comes in through a glass window or door without opening it.
• Always keep your front and rear porch lights on from dusk to dawn and use motion detector lighting along the sides of your home or areas with little foot traffic.
• Use timers on indoor lamps to give the appearance that you are home.
• Adjust window coverings for optimal privacy while maintaining good visibility outside.
• Unplug or disable your garage door from opening remotely.
• Bolt safes to the floor
• Always close and lock your safe and never leave a key or combination out or in an easy to find location (i.e. office, nightstand, etc).
• When you leave on vacation, remember to call the Police Department for a “Vacation Check” 949-644-3681 or sign-up online at www.nbpd. Also, ask a trusted friend or neighbor to pick up your newspaper and mail while you are away.
• Be Social Network Smart, and silent, until you return home.

The lure of posting photos of yourself out of town or in exotic locations is tempting to all social media lovers, Manzella said.

"We all know people, or have even done it ourselves, who show photos of themselves on vacation," she said. "You never know will see your information, even if you are just sharing with friends. Social media makes the world a lot smaller in unexpected ways."

The Newport Beach Police Department reminds you to report all suspicious activity to your local police department.

In Newport Beach, call 949-644-3717.

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