Christmas is only days away, and many St. Johns neighbors are hitting the roads for holiday travel. But they're leaving behind empty homes that could become vulnerable targets.
- St. Johns Police Department offers free home security checks for neighbors traveling during the holidays
- Neighbors in the community help watch each other's homes by collecting mail and monitoring properties
- Police Chief David Kirk says many smaller police departments provide similar house-watching services
WATCH: Free police home checks available for holiday travelers
St. Johns resident Amber Stanton says neighbors in the community look out for one another during travel times.
"We have a few neighbors that let us know when they're going out of town and so we keep our eyes open, maybe pick up the mail so it doesn't look like they're out of town. You know, that kind of stuff," Stanton said.
Stanton lets neighbors check her home camera feed on their street while they're away. But she was surprised to learn that the St. Johns Police Department offers additional security for traveling residents.
"If you know you're gonna be out for a number of days, you can call our front office here at St. Johns Police Department, inform us when you're going to be gone, what vehicles should be in your driveway and we'll perform house checks for you," Police Chief David Kirk said.
Kirk says many smaller police departments offer similar services for neighbors.
Stanton said the police service could encourage more neighbors to travel during the holidays.
"Definitely put your mind at ease to know that the city's looking out for your house while you're gone. Merry Christmas everyone," Stanton said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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