AAA estimates that about 37.1 million people are planning on traveling during the upcoming Fourth of July weekend, which could lead to millions of homes being left unoccupied for potential criminals.

A local law enforcement official told the Deseret News that opportunistic crimes like burglary can be prevented by employing some common-sense strategies — such as not allowing mail to pile up, giving possible thieves an obvious indication that a home's occupants are out of town.

"Don't let newspapers stack up … lock your doors, lock your windows," Salt Lake County Sheriff's Lt. Don Hutson said. "Exterior lighting is critical. The more lit an area is, the less people can be 'stealthing' around."

Hutson said "motion (sensor) lights are great," but added that getting a neighbor or friend to watch your home when you are out of town is one of the best ways to keep you home safe from criminals.

"That way, when your neighbor sees somebody at your house, they don't just think, 'Somebody must be visiting,'  " he said. "That's ultimately how somebody is going to be caught … Somebody is going to have to see them, as opposed to you coming home and realizing someone was in your home."

While some security companies advocate having mail delivery discontinued while no one is home, Randy Mellor, vice president of Murray-based Signature Alert Security, told the Deseret News that doing so in person at the post office could result in a possible breach of personal security information.

"(Occasionally) that somehow gets back to the wrong people," he said. "There actually have been burglaries and break-ins because of that (information) being disseminated outside of your home to other people."

He reiterated what Hutson said regarding asking a friend or neighbor to pick up your mail.

Installing an alarm system is also an option, Hutson said.

Jenny Bennett, office manager of Ogden-based Mountain Alarm, said her company receives numerous inquiries during the vacation season from people who want to protect their property while they are away for extended periods.

Hutson added that having a dog around is also one of the better deterrents for would-be burglars.

"If you get a big, mean, barking dog … to me, dogs are even better than an alarm system," he said. He stressed that pets are typically more applicable to daily security when someone is available to care for them regularly.

Do not leave Facebook, Twitter or any other online messages that would let people know you will be out of town, he added.

Another suggestion from security firm Protection One Inc., which has an office in Draper, is to turn your telephone ringer down so that no one outside can hear repeated rings, and review your answering machine message to make sure it does not imply you are away.

Taking some simple steps can make your home much less desirable to potential thieves, Hutson said.

"Criminals, burglars, people who are breaking into homes always take the easy targets," he said. "So the more difficult you make it for them to get into your house, the less likely they are to get into your house."

E-MAIL: jlee@desnews.com