For the last 15 years Portage la Prairie residents have taken advantage of the Citizens On Patrol Program's residential checks while they're away on vacation. Spokesperson Rose says you can register your home for the checks free of charge.

"If you're going to be away for any length of time you can register with the RCMP as to your address, and keyholder, etc. We have three teams that will go out three times a week to visually check your home. We do not go inside the home. We just check to make sure your doors and windows haven't been tampered with, and there are no tracks to garages, and things like that. And this is totally free."

You inform the RCMP of your keyholder, and any incidents will have them contact that person, Rose explains. You also provide them with the time you will leaving town, your return, and then inform them when you're actually home. The peace of mind knowing you have extra ears and eyes on your home, Rose adds, along with the RCMP's awareness of your absence makes your time away more enjoyable.

"Just the peace of mind knowing that not only is your keyholder looking after your property, but there are also extra eyes and ears," she notes. "And the plus to all of this is that the RCMP do know that you're away as well. So, if they get the call to that residence, they know those folks aren't home."

Rose says there have been incidents when a car was listed as being in the driveway and it was gone when we were checking, so they immediately reported it to the police. They had the experience of having learned it was stolen, and in other cases was borrowed. Tracks to sheds were reported, she adds, only to find out the sheds were broken into.

Rose extends wishes for a merry Christmas and all of the best for 2017 to everyone in Portage and region on behalf of the Portage Citizens on Patrol.