Winter break is right around the corner and many students will be locking up their apartments and going home for a month. There are some extra precautions students can take to make sure that their apartment and belongings will be safe when they return.

You should check that your doors, windows, and locks are in good condition. You can stop your mail at the post office or ask a neighbor to pick it up so piled-up mail doesn’t signal that you’re away. University Police Officer Tony Ortiz says that open parties can also put your home at risk.

“One of the problems I’ve seen in the past, being a former student myself, is that people tend to have a lot of open parties. That means parties where anyone can come into your home. That’s not a good idea because that exposes your house to having people check and kind of stake out your house or your apartment.”

To find out more ways to keep your apartment or house safe over the holidays, contact Officer Ortiz at [email protected].