Redlands Police Offering Surveillance Trackers to Catch Thieves in Home Burglaries

Redlands police are adding a way for local residents to help fight home break-ins with a new "home surveillance program" that will actually track stolen items to "catch criminals in the act," police announced Monday.

"Your home can be a target of opportunity for burglars when you are away on vacation," Police Spokesman Carl Baker said in a statement announcing the program.  "The Redlands Police Department wants to help protect residents’ property from opportunistic thieves with a new vacation program designed to catch criminals in the act."


To help deliver on this promise, the police department will allow residents and businesses to borrow special tracking devices that can be placed on high-value items which might be attractive to burglars-- who are apparently hitting up local homes more frequently, as residential burglaries increased by 16 percent from Jan. to July compared to the same time period last year, Baker said.

"The motion sensitive device is activated once the resident leaves on vacation," Baker explained.  "Any movement of the device will set off a signal that sends a text to both the resident and the Police Department. Officers can then use tracking software with the device to quickly locate the stolen property and the thief."

The program just launched this month and was made possible from "asset seizure funds, designated for non-General Fund purposes," according to Baker.  Each device cost $450 plus a $30 service fee per month.

Though the program is free for people to participate in, police will require a fully refundable $200 deposit.  They are also asking for voluntary donations to help offset the monthly service fee the department pays.

"The deposit can be secured with a check," Baker said.  "The check will not be cashed unless the device is not returned."

How to Sign Up

Interested residents or business owners who would like to try out the vacation house tracker device program can sign up online here.  There are two forms to fill out, according to Baker.

"If a resident or business owner desires to take part in a long-term deployment of a device, the resident or business owner may make a donation to fund the full cost of the device," he said.  "The person funding the device will be able to use the device during the entire funding period."

Other Options

The house tracker program will compliment the department's already-existing Vacation House Check program.

In this program, residents going away for an extended amount of time can set up house checks while they're away with the Redlands Police Department's citizen volunteer patrol.

Contact the Redlands Police Department at (909) 798-7681 or visit our website at www.redlandspolice.org.