Went to a Neighborhood Watch meeting a couple of weeks ago. The sherrif's department explained their "House Watch" program. You just tell them when you are going on vacation and they check your house daily. They described how the officers on the night shift spend at least half of their time checking houses. They have to get out of their car and walk around the house, checking doors, etc.

So…if a burglar wants to know who is on vacation, all he needs to do is follow the night beat officer around and the officer will show him plenty of houses where nobody is home. All compliments of the local taxpayer.