Risk Alert Unoccupied Buildings

• Make sure there are no accessible ladders, tools or other objects that could assist a burglar with a break-in.
• Make sure all valuables are stored away from access points. Criminals are frequently enticed to break in if there are expensive items, such as electronic equipment, visible from a window.
• Secure all PCs, laptops or any other device or files that contain confidential information.
• Look for easy access points into any buildings, specifically focusing on doors, windows and locks. If any of these are faulty, they should be replaced immediately.
• Keep bushes and shrubs near your building trimmed. This will eliminate hiding places in the shadows. This will also allow your building to be more visible from the street, which will make noticing suspicious activity easier.
• Remove tree branches below 7’ from trees adjacent to the building and keep shrubbery trimmed below four feet.
• Adequate lighting on your premises is essential and will prevent criminals from lingering too close to your building. Make sure light fixtures are operational.
• Is exterior storage of trash/rubbish at least 25 feet from building?
• Ask local police to increase patrols of your area.

• Signs of forced entry.
• Open windows or doors left ajar.
• Interior water leaks.
• Items that are not properly stored.
• Valuable items left out in plain sight.

Prevent Frozen Pipes