Home Checks While Away or on Vacation

The Biddeford Police Department provides exterior security checks of your home while you are out-of-town. This service is designed to give our citizens some peace of mind while away from home.

Please be mindful that this service does not guarantee that a burglary or some other crime will not occur at your residence. We will make every effort to do a cursory check of the residence on a daily basis, but due to fluctuations in calls for service or other priorities, we simply can’t guarantee that every scheduled check will occur. Thus, it is important that you make every effort to safeguard high financial and sentimental value items against losses by using proper locking devices, safety deposit boxes, alarm systems, etc.

Qualifications

To qualify as a property check, the property must be a residence that is normally occupied for at least 9 consecutive months during a calendar a year, and there must be an emergency contact number(s). This service is not available for apartments, condominiums, abandoned houses or buildings under construction.

Apply for Service

To use this service, please download the Security Check Application (PDF), complete it, and bring it to the Biddeford Police Station. Security Check requests will not be accepted by mail, email, or via the phone. One of our officers will meet with you to review the application, and explain this program further.

Before You Leave Home

When you are away from home, please don’t forget to:

  • Stop mail delivery.
  • Stop newspaper deliveries, and contact any free papers like the Courier to stop them from accumulating on the property.
  • Make arrangements for your grass to be cut.
  • Avoid having package deliveries scheduled while you are away.
  • Have a neighbor check for unscheduled package deliveries.
  • Make sure that any vehicles left behind are locked.
  • Let your neighbors know where you will be, how long you will be gone, and how to contact someone in case of an emergency.
  • Leave a light and radio or television on a timer.
  • Ensure all your doors and windows are locked.
  • Don’t advertise that you are away from your home on social media. Wait until returning to share your pictures and stories.