Richmond police remind of free vacation watch program

Richmond police are reminding residents and businesses in the city that officers will keep an eye on their property while they are away on vacation.

Through the House and Business Watch Program, people can fill out a watch request form and submit it to their neighborhood precinct before vacation. Each request covers up to a three-week period, during which police will periodically check the perimeter of the property.

Watch request forms are available at the department's Web site, http://www.richmondgov.com/police, where users can click on the "Vacation Watch Request Form" link. If users are unsure which precinct they are in, they can call the department's customer service line at (804) 646-6842.