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It's the Holiday Season again!  27 Nov 08

Things you should do to protect yourself!

Last year at about this time, we told you about some crime issues that seemed to run right along side of the holidays. Vehicle break-ins was the topic. Prattville Police report that there is a definite increase in break-ins during the holiday shopping season. These break-ins aren't just at the shopping centers either. Most were on vehicles parked at other businesses or at the homes of our citizens. Most of the victims could have taken just one extra step that would have prevented them from being hit. We had several church parking lots that were hit as well as places where drivers stop temporarily, like the YMCA. Parents picking up their kids would leave their cars unlocked, some with the engine running to come inside for just a second to sign them out and return to the parking area  to discover that their windows were bashed in and their personal property missing. Yes, it happened that fast. Below is a checklist provided by The Guide and endorsed by The Prattville Police Department. If you follow our suggestions, you might be able to avoid all the hassles of a break-in during this holiday season.

1. Park in a well lit area. Most break-ins happen in areas where there is no or limited lighting as thieves seem to like the cover of darkness in order to strike. Even if you only plan on being gone for a couple of minuets, this can prevent you from becoming a victim.

2. Put all items in the trunk or under the seat out of sight of anyone who might be looking for something to steal. One thing that each break-in last year had in common was visible items left in the car. Purses were the number one thing taken. One lady who was getting gas, took money out of her wallet, locked her door, went inside for a second to pay for it, and returned to find her window broken out and her purse gone. It only takes a second for thieves to strike. They hit her in broad daylight in a high traffic area with plenty of potential witnesses around. They don't care! If you don't have room in the truck or if like most of us, your SUV doesn't have a factory cover installed, try buying some towels that are the same color as your interior and cover your items with the towels. Thieves don't have but a couple of seconds to scope your vehicle. They may glace as they walk by and this camouflage will work if you do it every time you leave your vehicle. I use black towels with a black interior, it works great! One other note, some of the break-ins from last year were thought to be thieves looking for Cell Phones and Electronics that are plugged in. The little courtesy light on your Cell Phone, MP3 player, DVD Player, or your Tom Tom gives it away that you have those type items in your car. Unplug these lighted chargers and place them out of sight.

3. Don't put packages in your car, then immediately leave it where it is parked! You are setting yourself up for being hit by anyone who might be watching. Thieves look for this! They see you put all kinds of items in your car or truck, then lock the doors and leave them to go back into the store or into another store located nearby. It's like putting a billboard that says "Steal Me" on your car. We suggest that if you have several items that you have to put in your car, make plans to take them home before continuing your shopping. If this is too inconvenient, at least move your car to another part of the parking lot to throw thieves off your trail. A lady was parked in front of the YMCA last year, in a very well lighted area where there is always a lot of traffic and witnesses. She had finished all of her Christmas shopping and was showing some items to her husband. They locked the vehicle and went inside. Thieves took everything by breaking out a side window and gaining access. They lost over $1600+ in Christmas gifts in just under 10 minutes. The YMCA and other organizations that were targeted last year now employ guards and cameras to prevent this but you never know, so don't advertise!

4. BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS! If you are followed. That's right, thieves are getting bolder. They see you purchase numerous items and place them in your car or truck. They size you up to see if you are physically able to deter them, if not, they follow you until you stop and allow them access to your vehicle. Then they take it all and might even hurt you in the process. This happened to a lady that I know who lives in a suburb of Atlanta. She went to Best Buy and bought a big screen TV with a surround sound system and DVR, plus a new cell phone, and a couple of laptop accessories. She left the store for the 1/2 mile trip home. She said she noticed a car from the parking lot behind her and also noticed that when she stopped at 3 of the 4 stop signs in her neighborhood, they got really close before she pulled away. She got a little scared and drove right to her driveway. Once there, she didn't see them and proceeded to get out and gather some of the items that she could carry. She left the SUV door open and went inside to get her husband to help with the heavy items loaded in the back of her SUV. The thieves drove up, jumped out and grabbed everything. They loaded it all up in a dark vehicle that had it's lights turned off and left the scene. If you think you are being followed, DO NOT STOP! DO NOT GO HOME UNLESS SOMEONE IS WAITING THERE FOR YOU! CALL 911 AND GIVE YOUR LOCATION AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE VEHICLE OR PERSONS FOLLOWING YOU! Drive to a safe place like a fire department or the police station. If you feel that you are about to be overtaken, drive through stop signs if it is safe, turn your flashers on, blow your horn, turn on your high beam lights, anything to gain the attention that the thieves don't want. So what if you get pulled over for running a stop sign, if it saves your life, then it's worth it. Be thankful a Cop was sitting there to see you do it and come to your rescue.

5. If you use a debit or credit card, be very careful who is watching when you enter your pin # or other information on a type pad. There was a cashier at a local store who was visited by her boy friend at the checkout counter. They seemed to just be talking, but there was something more sinister going on. She would ring up the sales and would double scan the card so that she could get a copy of the transaction after you leave. Meanwhile, her pestering boyfriend was standing where he could see the pin being entered into the number pad. They would use hand signals to number the transactions with that of the pin #s that he was able to see. Once he had a few pin#s and she had the credit card numbers complete with the expiration date, name, and security code, he would get on the phone and tell a third party the information. This third party would then access the accounts at an ATM with a fake card (just manufactured with your information on it) and make transactions. When finally caught, this seemingly innocent couple had racked up over $88K in stolen charges. They wouldn't have been caught at all had it not been that she was double printing receipts and ran out of paper, which alerted the supervisor. Be careful of who is looking over your shoulder and watch the cashier, if they are writing something as you check out, ask about it!

6. Don't put all of your Christmas presents under the tree, right in front of your window. I know, you want the tree to be visible through your front window, but if you leave the blinds or curtains open, you are again advertising what you have. Thieves will wait until you are gone and break in your home to get them. If you have an alarm system, use it! Set it even when you only plan to be gone for a very short time. If not, keep your most expensive gifts stored elsewhere until Christmas Eve or Day when they will be opened. This type of crime happens all the time, don't be a victim. Take precautions and play it safe! Stay vigilant around your home as well. Look for strange vehicles in your neighborhood at odd hours or ones parked at homes where you know no one is home. 

Be Street Smart this Holiday Season. If you'll make an effort to stop and think about your security during all the rushing around, you'll be better off. Don't be a victim this season!

James Jones

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