Julie Fisher and her husband, Mike, just got back from the trip of a lifetime.
They spent two and half weeks in Australia and New Zealand.
“It was a serious bucket list trip. We wanted to do this before we are too old enjoy it.”
Being gone that long meant the Fisher’s needed help.
“We know that an empty house is potentially a target.”
So they asked others to look after their Pasco County home.
“A lot of our neighbors, I talked to and made sure they know if there’s a strange car in the driveway that it didn’t belong there, or I did have somebody coming in feeding the animals.:
But there is another option.
The Pasco Sheriff’s Office has a vacation house registry on it’s website.
https://pascosheriff.com/vacation-house-registry/
You enter your address and contact information.
And when available sheriff’s office volunteers check the homes as much as they can.
“Often times when we check them, we actually physically walk around the house. Check the doors, check the windows,” said volunteer supervisor Chick Anderson.
The sheriff’s office recommends other steps before you go away like putting your mail and newspaper delivery on hold.
Prevent anything that might let would-be thieves know you are away.
Having someone reliable to keep an eye on your property is also key.
If you are planning to leave your home alone, check your local law enforcement agency for a similar service.
Tampa Police is touting theirs on social media. https://www.tampagov.net/police/vacation-watch-form?cscRedirectID=819
The Sheriff’s offices in Hillsborough http://www.hcso.tampa.fl.us/A-Z-Directory/V/Vacation-Watch-Request-(1).aspx
and Pinellas also offer it: https://www.pcsoweb.com/vacation-house-checks
