Have you been a victim of a residential burglary?  Were you prepared for the unthinkable? 
Surprisingly, most property owners are not prepared when police officers arrive on the scene to compile a list of missing objects or their value.  The Helena-West Helena Police Department recommends that residents and business owners use a simple plan of actions so law enforcement agencies can keep an eye out for the stolen property.
Here are some tips to help the agency recover the items:
Mark your valuables with an engraver and keep valuables out of sight when not in use. Utilize an identifying number that is unique to you. This serves as a deterrent to would-be burglars and it helps the police in recovering and returning stolen items. Serial numbers of all accessories should be recorded. Make a copy of your property identification list and take photographs of the property so that identification can be easy.
Contact your financial institutions. You may have to cancel your cards and monitor transactions withfinancial institutions. After you receive the police report, contact your banks and credit companies again. They will inform you if your card was used or not. On an average, you will only be held responsible for $50 per card. The rest of the money from false charges will be
returned to you. Time is against you though. All 5 steps must be done within 2-3 business days. 
Other tips to protect your plastic money include not signing the back of your cards. Write in the signature space something like “ask for ID.” Then, copy your cards, front and back. If the store fails to ask for ID from the thief, you will have proof that you gave the store specific instructions. The store will not have a case against you.  Ask to see, or get a copy of the actual sale.
Burglars often cruise neighborhoods, looking for absentee owners or such telltale signs as newspapers, which have not been removed, from the front of the house or the newspaper box.
Burglars commonly carry out quick thefts of purses or other valuables by entering an opposite door when the resident is seen working outside in the yard. Always lock your doors, particularly in high crime areas.
Discourage burglars with the following steps:
* Lock all outside windows and doors; don’t forget the screen doors and windows.
* At night, leave one or more lights on in locations not visible from windows.
* For extended absences, there are inexpensive plug-in timers that will turn lights on and off at times that imitate your living patterns.
* Leave a radio playing, preferably tuned to a talk show with the volume low. •This will create the impression of conversation.
* Do not leave notes indicating your absence.
* Shut and lock the garage door.
* Do not leave extra keys outside; some burglars will look for them.
* Install an alarm. Many types of alarms are now available to help foil an attempt to break into your home - from inexpensive tabletop units to professionally installed systems. Some systems sound a bell or siren outside your home to alert the neighbors and scare away the burglar. Others alert nearby police or a monitoring station.
Don’t be a victim of theft from your vehicle.  Annually, there are 1.2 million thefts of contents and almost 1.3 million thefts of accessories from vehicles nationwide.  Some quick tips for vehicle safety are:
• Try to park in well-lighted and busy areas. Avoid leaving your vehicle in unattended parking lots for long periods.
• Keep everything of value that you can in the trunk. If you must leave packages, clothing, or other articles in the car, make sure that they are out of sight.
• Lock you vehicle up, make sure that the windows are closed tight and the trunk is locked.
• Mark all accessories such as radios, radar detectors, and speakers with an identification number that is unique to you.
Remember no method is 100 percent effective against burglaries and thefts; however, by instituting these simple safety measures, residents can greatly reduce their chances of becoming a victim.
If you need further information about home security, contact the H-WHPD at 870-572-3441.