The mass exodus of students during winter break is an open invitation for break-ins, broken pipes and big fines, city officials and police warn.

East Lansing renters who return to their hometowns for winter break are still responsible for their homes and apartments, including snow removal, said Annette Irwin, operations administrator for Code Enforcement and Neighborhood Conservation in East Lansing.

"You are responsible for snow shoveling," she said. "You want to hire someone or talk to a friend and find someone who will shovel for you."

If a walk is covered with ice or snow, renters can be slapped with an $85 ticket. During the 2004-05 winter break, the city of East Lansing handed out nearly $4,000 in snow shoveling fines.

Renters have run into other problems in the past, Irwin said.

"We've experienced trouble with someone having the thought that turning off their heat would be a good idea," she said. "The pipes freeze and burst and you come home to a mess. You have to leave the heat on a minimal setting."

Even if the heat is left on, renters should not leave their windows open if a room becomes too hot, Irwin said. The cold can freeze pipes in the walls, causing them to burst behind the drywall.

"It's a terrible thing to come home to," she said.

Adam Wagenberg, a general management junior, was forced to leave his apartment building in the Landings at Chandler Crossings last year because an apartment's pipes broke, flooding a part of the building.

"It was a nightmare," he said. "We went back and there were huge box fans all over the hallways and there was a smell of mildew."

Break-ins are also of concern during the holiday months.

To prevent someone from entering a rental home or apartment during break, it's important to make sure the last person to leave checks all the windows and doors, making sure they are locked, Irwin said.

"Anytime you leave your doors unlocked, you're an easy target for theft, especially at this time of year," she said.

East Lansing police Capt. Kim Johnson said the department receives a steady number of home invasion reports when students return from break in January.

East Lansing police had 21 home invasion and burglary reports between Dec. 17, 2005, and Jan. 10, 2006. The majority of the offenses occurred in rental properties or in high student-density neighborhoods, Johnson said.

MSU and East Lansing police both accept requests for neighborhood patrols and home checks during university breaks.

Johnson said patrols aren't added during breaks, but less dispatch calls are received, allowing officers to monitor neighborhoods more often.

In addition to patrolling, both departments stressed the importance of keeping doors locked, shades drawn and valuables securely hidden or taken home.

MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor said preventative measures, such as using light timers, stopping mail and keeping music on inside residences are good safety measures.

McGlothian-Taylor suggested logging a list or videotape of all the belongings left inside a residence prior to leaving for breaks, so you have documentation of items and their location to fall back on in case of a theft.