Its summer vacation time, and police say the burglars want to hit a house when no one is home.
Police say the best way to keep thieves out is to keep them guessing.

In Eau Claire, burglaries jumped 22 percent last year, and thieves got away with more than $200,000 in stolen property.

“What you don't want to do is let the burglar know that you do the same thing every day that they can set their clock to it and they know how much time they have available to break into your house and take your property,” says Officer Mike Mason.

When you're on vacation, Mason suggests telling at least two neighbors about your trip. Police also say neighborhood associations help decrease property crimes, and watchful neighbors help police get to the scene more quickly.

Larry Stork makes a habit of keeping an eye his neighborhood, so when Stork saw a thief trying to break into his neighbor's car, he took action right away.

“I took my .357 out and chased them out of the neighborhood and called the cops,” he says.

Police officers say you should also remember to trim bushes away from windows and doors.
Remember to use light timers inside, and motion sensing lights outside, and cops say don't forget to have the post office stop your mail while you're away.

Police say many thieves are after electronics like TV's and computers, so they say its a good idea to write down the serial numbers. That way if a burglar steals something and tries to sell it, that serial number will pop up on a national database, and hopefully, you can get your property back.