What to do if your home is burglarized | Crime

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (KTHV) -- You may think of residential burglary as some that happens to "someone else" -- until it happens to you.

It can happen whether you're at home or away. Hopefully it won't happen to you, but if it does, do you know what to do? The Garland County Sheriff's Department has the following advice in the event your home becomes a statistic.

• Call police if you see anything suspicious.
• Leave immediately if you see your home has been burglarized (the burglar may still be there).
• Do not touch anything until police have secured your home.
• If you wake up and find a burglar in your room, pretend to be asleep until it is safe.
• If you see any strange or suspicious activity, call the appropriate agency immediately!
• Do not hesitate to call. If the activity was legitimate, DO NOT be embarrassed or concerned about calling.

You just did the right thing, whether or not criminal activity was occurring. The offenders will not normally come back with this type of citizen involvement. Remember, they want easy targets and don’t want to be caught. You do not have to identify yourself or location when calling in the activity.

Source: Garland County Sheriff's Dept.