If you're planning on hitting the road for the holiday, Pharr police wants to make sure you don't forget about your home while you're away.

Police say its not unusual to see an increase in thefts this time of year.

 "We have a lot of residents here that like to decorate their yard and it looks really great, but unfortunately, we do have a lot of those items being stolen throughout the night," said officer Nicolas Zepeda. 

Pharr police have a few tips if you're planning to leave for the holidays:

• • Request extra patrol in your neighborhood
• • Invest in security systems or cameras
• • Ask friends or family to check on your home
• • Make sure all doors and windows have secondary locks
• • Don't hide spare keys in mailboxes or under doormats
• • Use timers for radios or lights while you're away

If you're still second-guessing whether your home is safe while you're away, Pharr police say to call the 24-hour emergency hotline at 956-402-4700.