YUMA, Ariz. – As winter visitors pack up and head back home, Yuma Police warn them to lock up expensive items as burglaries usually rise in the summer time.
“When winter visitors leave they leave a lot of vacant trailers motor homes and residences full houses and what happens is burglaries go way up,” Yuma Police Department Sgt. Lori Franklin said.
More than 500 burglaries were reported in 2015 according to the Y.P.D. They say many of those happened in the summer months when vacant homes were left behind.
“A lot of the trailer parks here don’t have a lot of people living there all year round. So they are free for the picking, there’s not someone watching them all year round,” said Franklin.
13 On Your Side spoke to the owner of Miles Last Resort RV Park to see what they are doing to prevent burglaries this summer.
“We all look out for each other, it’s sort of like a small community, any trailer park community is that way. When we leave we have a manager on site,” owner Mark Miles said.
Besides having your neighbor look out for your home, Franklin recommends getting a storage unit.
“The best thing to do is not leave anything of value in the residence if you can. Get a small storage locker. Go with other people and pitch in on a storage locker,” said Franklin.
Whether it’s a TV or a motor home you need to lock up, there are plenty of storage options around town.
“We have large units as large as 14′ x 55′ where they can park their motor homes,” Premier Storage Condominiums Mary Bennett said.
“Get the TVs, get the big ticket items out of your residence and get them in storage. If there’s nothing in there it’s less likely to get burglarized and your less likely to loose stuff,” Franklin said.