As another summer weekend is upon us, the Old Westbury Police Department would like to remind our residents of the following safety precautions to follow.
1-If you have an alarm be sure to set it whenever you leave your house. We recommend keeping the alarm set while you are home, as an added layer of security. Although alarm systems may not prevent all burglaries they have minimized and, in some cases, prevented any loss from occurring.
2-Have a neighbor, friend or family member check on your home if you are going to be away and remove any packages or mail that may have been left.
3-If you have video surveillance, be sure it is functioning properly and you are able to access the recordings. Cameras with motion activation are helpful and alert you if there is someone on the property.
4-Do not post on social media while traveling. This signals to people that you are away. Wait until returning home to make your posts or keep it private with trusted friends and family.
5-Consider contacting the Old Westbury Police and let us know the dates you will be away and we will add you to our vacant house list. This allows responding officers to know there should be nobody in the home and provide the most up to date contact information should it be needed.
6-Keep lights, TV’s or music on timers to give your house the appearance that somebody is home.
7-Be mindful of your surroundings and note any suspicious people or vehicles near your home as you come and go. A very common time of burglaries is in the evening just after sunset. Be extra vigilant during those hours.
8-Never leave a key or key fob in your vehicle and be sure the doors are locked at all times of the day.
The Old Westbury Police have added additional patrols over the past few weeks and will continue with those patrols as needed. We urge all residents to contact the Old Westbury Police 516-626-0200 without delay, of any suspicious activity.