LOCAL NEWS

New Program Aims To Fight Crime In Sandy

May 24, 2021, 5:59 PM | Updated: Apr 14, 2023, 2:49 pm

SANDY, Utah — Police launched a new initiative to fight an alarming surge in car and home burglaries in Sandy. The program is called Vacation Watch and it allows officers to patrol a resident’s neighborhood and check on their home while they’re away.

“We are just trying to offer more resources to the community,” said Lt. Dean Carriger with the Sandy Police Department. “Sandy is a great place to live, work, play, but we are not immune to criminal activity.”

In fact, when it comes to the number of home burglaries, Sandy saw about an 80% jump from 2019 to 2020.

In 2019, they had 661 home burglaries and that number increased to 1,097 in 2020.

Car burglaries had about a 25% jump, going from 199 in 2019 to 248 in 2020.

Carriger attributed a lot of that to the coronavirus pandemic.

“A lot more people were working from home, more cars home during the day time, a lot of garage doors left open while people are home,” he said.

Last year, they started the Sandy Secure Initiative to teach residents through video and messages about how to stay safe. The new element in that is the Vacation Watch program, which is a free service to Sandy residents.

“We are looking to see if there might be anybody around the house, if there is anything suspicious — maybe a door that is open, windows that are open, someone walking around the home,” said Carriger.

Back in February, the McDonalds family, who live in Sandy, were the victims of a car burglary, which they captured on home surveillance video.

The suspects broke into nearly two dozen cars in their neighborhood.

“It’s violating. When someone comes through and violates that trust, it’s kind of heart breaking,” said Jenny McDonald.

Still, the McDonalds said they feel very safe, but also have their own security set up around their house. The system includes alarms on all their doors, censors on all their windows and five security cameras surrounding their home.

“Obviously I don’t want anything bad to happen to my family,” said Garth McDonald. “I just don’t want anyone walking into my house.”

Jenny believes the Vacation Watch program is a good idea, adding that it’s another element to what they already do when leaving on vacation, like notifying friends and neighbors who can watch their home.

“It can’t hurt, and to have [police] on your side I think is a good thing,” she said.

Garth said he was worried about privacy issues.

“I’m worried that information could be used in a way I did not intend,” he said.

But Police said all information given on the website is completely private.

“It’s confidential information. It’s secured. It comes in through a secured server,” said Carriger.

More information about the program can be found on the city’s website.

KSL 5 TV Live

Local News

Matt Gephardt working with Bona Rose on the CarChex documents....

Matt Gephardt and Sloan Schrage, KSL TV

Get Gephardt: West Valley woman says her extended car warranty claim was denied unfairly

Many drivers buy an extended auto warranty to cover unexpected repair bills. But when a West Valley City woman turned to her warranty provider for major help on her car's transmission, they turned her down - repeatedly.

9 hours ago

Moments before a Salt Lake City woman is hit by a white car in the Avenues....

Eric Cabrera, KSL NewsRadio, Garna Mejia and Michael Houck, KSL TV

Doorbell camera captures another hit-and-run in Salt Lake City

New doorbell camera shows bystanders rushing to save a woman who may be another victim of an alleged serial hit-and-runner.

9 hours ago

A view of the West Temple and 200 South intersection in Salt Lake City....

Michael Houck

A major downtown Salt Lake City intersection will close from April to May

Starting April 1, the West Temple and 200 South intersection will be closed as crews replace natural gas lines.

10 hours ago

Researchers gathered in a Weber State University room for a Air Quality Summit....

Mike Anderson

Air Quality Summit puts focus on Utah air pollution and solutions

Many of the researchers who study Utah's air pollution problems are sharing what they've found while working to find solutions during Thursday's Air Quality Summit.

11 hours ago

Keith Stebbings (right) confronting Loren Richardson (left) after Richardson allegedly entered his ...

Shelby Lofton

‘He wasn’t intending to hurt anybody’: Brighton homeowner attorney says snowboarder confrontation was a misunderstanding

The Brighton man armed with a gun while confronting a snowboarder in a viral video is now facing criminal charges. But his attorney says he had the right to protect his property.

12 hours ago

Follow @KSL5TVLike us on Facebook...

Eliza Pace

VIDEO: Watch the moment a UHP trooper stops a 12-year-old driving on the freeway

Utah Highway Patrol responded to a call of a reckless driver. They didn't know until after they stopped the car that it was a 12-year-old driver.

13 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Women hold card for scanning key card to access Photocopier Security system concept...

Les Olson

Why Printer Security Should Be Top of Mind for Your Business

Connected printers have vulnerable endpoints that are an easy target for cyber thieves. Protect your business with these tips.

Modern chandelier hanging from a white slanted ceiling with windows in the backgruond...

Lighting Design

Light Up Your Home With These Top Lighting Trends for 2024

Check out the latest lighting design trends for 2024 and tips on how you can incorporate them into your home.

Technician woman fixing hardware of desktop computer. Close up....

PC Laptops

Tips for Hassle-Free Computer Repairs

Experiencing a glitch in your computer can be frustrating, but with these tips you can have your computer repaired without the stress.

Close up of finger on keyboard button with number 11 logo...

PC Laptops

7 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Laptop to Windows 11

Explore the benefits of upgrading to Windows 11 for a smoother, more secure, and feature-packed computing experience.

Stylish room interior with beautiful Christmas tree and decorative fireplace...

Lighting Design

Create a Festive Home with Our Easy-to-Follow Holiday Prep Guide

Get ready for festive celebrations! Discover expert tips to prepare your home for the holidays, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for unforgettable moments.

Battery low message on mobile device screen. Internet and technology concept...

PC Laptops

9 Tips to Get More Power Out of Your Laptop Battery

Get more power out of your laptop battery and help it last longer by implementing some of these tips from our guide.

New Program Aims To Fight Crime In Sandy