TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — As the winter weather continues, Terre Haute Police say they have seen an increase in incidents involving vacant and condemned homes.
THPD says that, many times, these empty structures are used for drugs or theft, but with the cold weather, there have been situations of people using them for shelter.
In those instances, the police department says their goal is not to arrest people, but to provide resources to help.
With the city’s recent housing initiative, condemned homes have become more prevalent. These are unoccupied structures that are not safe for anyone to be in.
Public Information Officer for the Terre Haute Police Department, Sgt. Justin Sears, says that if you notice activity in a home that is supposed to be vacant or condemned, let authorities know.
“Absolutely, report it. If they think someone is in there, you can call the police”, Sears said. “We can come out; we can check it. A lot of our officers know where these houses are at, they monitor these houses to the best of their ability. You can call the building inspector’s office, and they can come out. They usually do a pretty fantastic job of boarding windows and doors that they need to seal these houses up. Definitely marking them with the appropriate stickers and signage out front, but sometimes people are creative in how they get in.”
THPD says the best way to report an incident of this nature is through dispatch or their non-emergency line, but if there is an active situation, call 911.
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