Oxford Police Department (OPD) and Oxford realtors are using alarm systems and other security precautions to combat off-campus burglaries and crime.

Although OPD offers vacant house checks and temporary alarm installation for individuals leaving town for an extended period of time, burglars target many off-campus student rentals during long university breaks, Sgt. Jim Squance of OPD said.

While there was only one off-campus burglary reported during Miami University's spring break, Squance said seven were reported during the 2008 winter break.

Squance said 360 people filed vacant house check forms prior to Miami's 2008 winter break. In addition, OPD installed motion detector alarm systems in some residences.

"(OPD) and volunteer groups checked every residence that was registered for the service at least once a day," Squance said.

Oxford landlord Mitch Mesler accepted OPD's offer to install security systems after a flat screen television was stolen from a tenant's house during Thanksgiving break in fall 2008.

"I remember when you could leave your doors and windows unlocked and didn't have to worry," Mesler said.

To combat crime, OPD installs motion detection devices, free of charge, on Mesler's properties while tenants are away on long breaks from the university. Mesler said his tenants have the option to use this security measure, but some tenants have opted out because they felt it was unnecessary.

Squance said OPD has a limited amount of these motion detectors, so they are only used by request or if a house is a suspected target for future burglaries.

"The detectors are simply a crime prevention tool," Squance said.

Squance said the motion detectors are also only installed in empty houses because occupying residents would constantly trigger them.

One Miami student experienced the sensitivity of the security system by accident.

Junior Laura Mossing, who rents from Mesler, said she was not informed of the alarm system OPD activated in her house while on spring break in early March. Mossing returned the Saturday before classes resumed and got a surprise visit from OPD officers approximately 10 minutes after walking in her off-campus home.

Mossing said she did not hear any noise indicating she set off an alarm, but the portable motion detector installed by the OPD sent a signal to the police station after she triggered it while unlocking and entering her home.

Mossing said she was impressed with how quickly OPD responded to the alarm and felt assured the alarm would be a reliable system to protect her residence from potential burglaries. However, to prevent incidences like hers from happening again, she said landlords should communicate more with residents.

"(I wish there was) more cohesive communication between the landlord and tenants," Mossing said.

Renee Moore, senior property manager at Park Place Real Estate Management, said Park Place Real Estate is using two different companies for security and surveillance systems to maximize resident safety. Park Place also does not charge residents for alarm system installation, Moore said.

"(The systems) are wonderful," Moore said. "They are very loud and quick to alarm the police."

Moore said Park Place is working with Hamilton-based Wheelright Electric & Security to install hardwire and fire surveillance systems in some of its properties. If a fire alarm goes off in one of these residences, it would send a signal to local police and fire departments as well as Wheelright. Wheelright is also installing surveillance cameras and intercom systems used as access to the units.

To further monitor its houses and motion within the homes, Moore said Park Place is working with Guardian Protection Services, a national security provider. Some Park Place residences will be equipped with keypads, motion detectors and door contacts. If there is an intruder, a signal will be sent to the security service company, as well as OPD.

Not all of Park Place's properties currently have the security systems, but many of the newer properties do, Moore said. She said New England Square Apartments is currently having surveillance installed in each of the units. The Olivia Villas andrecently built homes are already equipped with security devices, Moore said.

Junior Reid Goodin, who lives in one of Park Place's newest homes off-campus, said he was unaware of the security system in his off-campus house before he signed his lease in spring 2008, but it has become an amenity for him.

"If I was looking for a new place to live next year, I would definitely take alarm systems and security features under consideration for evaluating off-campus residences," Goodin said.

Moore said she thinks surveillance systems are nice features to have and work during breaks, but Moore said Park Place still reminds students to take basic precautions before leaving for breaks.

"We e-mail students reminding them to lock up or take home any valuables and send an additional e-mail informing them about the vacant house checks," Moore said.

Although Squance said OPD has worked with their motion detectors for 20 years, he said surveillance has advanced.

Squance said extremely sensitive motion detectors and fire surveillance systems send alarms to police and fire department almost instantaneously. This type of technology was only dreamed of 20 years ago, Squance said.

Goodin said he has also found there are occasional glitches with the Park Place alarm system, as with any other technology. On a few occasions, a roommate using a blow dryer triggered the security system to go off, but OPD did not show up.

"Despite the minor glitches, I think it's an important feature to have in off-campus residences," Goodin said.

Goodin said he is especially fond of the chime security feature, which goes off whenever the front and back doors are opened.

"That (chime) feature alone is comforting because we always know when someone has left or entered," Goodin said.