Tell the police. No way, several years ago an aunt who lived just outside the city of London was warned about a lot of burglaries, so on advise from the police (although her street had never had any problems) she gave them her absent from home dates as did several of her neighbours. All were burgled. When the criminal was arrested he was not a policeman but a relation of one who without thinking had mentioned he had got to patrol certain areas because the people were away. The policeman also lost his job. Soon after the burglary rate in that area dropped to nearly nothing.
We now use neighbourhood watch along with visits from friends & family who water plants, cut grass, feed animals, collect post etc, whenever required. So far after 33 years in the same place we have only had 1 burglary.