The Thurston County Sheriff’s Department saw a rash of home and vehicle thefts over the weekend.  They sent out these tips to help people prevent break-ins:

Home:

• Leave blinds/curtains open.
• Make your residence appear as if someone is home: leave a light or television on. (You can also use timers)
• Make sure your residence is secured.
• Inform a neighbor if you are going to be away for the night or longer.
• If you have a monitored alarm system, make sure that the alarm company knows how to contact you.   If your alarm is not monitored and is audible outside make sure your neighbors know how to contact you.
• Make sure your vehicle is secure and all doors and windows are closed.

Vehicles:

• Remember to ensure that all valuables are hidden and not easily visible
• Do not leave purses, wallets, electronic devices, and valuable information in your vehicle.
• Keep a record all serial and model numbers of electronic devices left in the vehicle.  Often times, deputies locate items that they suspect may be stolen.   They are however not able to confirm this because the victims had not record serial and model numbers.
• Park your vehicle in a well lit area.