A Northern California couple is behind bars for taking advantage of pet owners.
An employee of PetSmart in San Mateo took information from customers who were boarding their pets, such as their address and length of time they'd be gone. Then, the thieves ransacked their homes, stealing everything from jewelry to a car, according to the San Mateo Sheriff’s Department.
“Especially when you're boarding your pet with somebody, you're putting a tremendous amount of trust in them," said Point Loma resident and dog owner Courtney Yates when she heard about the crime.
"I'm actually going to think twice whether or not I'm going to board them at a facility versus a family member with whom I don't have to second guess my choice," Yates said.
In an email, PetSmart's corporate communications manager Erin Gray said, "Pet parents have been incredibly supportive of PetSmart and understand that one bad apple does not change our deep commitment to them and their pets. In our 26-year history, we aren't aware of anything like this ever happening before and believe it was an isolated incident."
Both the San Diego Police Department and San Diego County Sheriff’s Department have senior volunteers who will do vacation checks on your home when you’re away. To sign up, just call your local law enforcement agency.
There are other precautions you can take to protect your home. Jan Caldwell with the sheriff’s department recommends not posting travel details on social media and only giving details of your trip to someone you trust. Caldwell suggests asking neighbors you truly trust to keep an eye on your home.
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Also, light timers are a good idea because it gives the appearance of someone home. You can set the timers to turn the lights on at a certain time and on what days.
Lastly, Caldwell suggests placing a hold on your mail and all deliveries, such as water and newspaper, so it won't be obvious to thieves when you're away.
