In light of some recent break and enters reported in the detachment area; the South Bruce Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is offering home owners some tips to help protect their property.

Tall trees, shrubs and fences create hiding spots for criminals. Keep your landscaping neatly groomed and consider a shorter fence.Lock the doors and windows, even if you're going out for a short time. Consider using quality locks and a deadbolt on each outside door. Keep the grass cut or keep the driveway shovelled and don't let the mail accumulate if you're going to be away. Engrave identifying marks on your property. This makes it easier for police to identify your belongings if they are stolen.Make sure the outside lights work and use them to deter low light visitors. Know your neighbours and watch for suspicious people or activity on your block.Don't leave valuables in plain sight and don't hide a spare house key outside.If you're planning a trip, be careful who you tell. Try not to advertise your absence with electronic or answering machine messages.

Break ins are a crime of opportunity, that you can help control. Suspicious vehicles or people should be reported to police as soon as possible so that an officer can investigate.

Anyone interested in more information on crime prevention tips can check online at http://www.opp.ca.

The South Bruce OPP is requesting anyone with information that can assist police to call 1-888-310-1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or send a web-tip to crimestop-gb.org, where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.

source: media release, South Bruce OPP