BILLINGS— A new program could set Billings homeowners’ minds at ease during holiday season travel.
The Vacation House Check program started three weeks ago, allowing homeowners to sign up for Billings Police Department volunteers to watch over their homes while on vacation. The service is free.
Watch the report below:
Volunteers walk around the exterior of the house once or twice every week and check for suspicious activity. They look for signs such as broken windows, open gates and unfamiliar cars in the driveway.
“We could come by one day, and there's an extra car there, and we go, ‘Well, why is that there?’” volunteer Doug Peterson told MTN. “We also would call the homeowner first, and say, ‘Is this supposed to be this way?’”
If the homeowner and volunteers determine something is wrong, volunteers will get Billings police involved.
“Gives people a little more peace of mind when they're gone for a week or extended periods of time,” said volunteer Terry Struck.
Struck told MTN he expects many people to sign up as they leave Montana during the winter months.
“We have tons of people that go south for the winter, and a lot of them I know,” said Struck. “I always thought that this should have been something that started years ago.”
To sign up for the program, homeowners must live in Billings in a house, not an apartment. The trip also must be between five and 90 days long.
Volunteers ask that homeowners apply for the program at least one week before their vacation.
You can view the application here.
