By Jim Blanks

A man drives to the mall to finish the last of his holiday shopping. He has already been to three other stores, but this is the last place on his list. The back seat of the car is packed with gifts and littered with receipts. It will be a quick stop, so the man locks his car and hustles into the store. Twenty minutes later he returns to find his car burglarized; the windows shattered, and the gifts gone.

• • •

A family of four leaves home to attend a family get-together. It’s the holiday season, a time for family and joy. The family is in good cheer, although they are running late. They rush out the door and drive away for three days, neglecting to secure the back gate. They are new to the neighborhood and the neighbors don’t really know yet who belongs at that house. The family returns after the trip to discover the house has been ransacked; all the gifts have been taken, along with the television and the computer. The family now spends its holiday season with police officers, trying to recover lost items.

• • •

These are just two of what have become common tales. That is because, as Detective Brian Young of the Visalia Police Department explains, the holiday season creates increased opportunities for criminals. Malls and shopping centers become increasingly crowded; homes and vehicles filled with electronics, toys, clothes, and other gifts. With holiday shoppers’ attention split in the hustle and bustle of festive preparation, Detective Young says, the result is the perfect environment for opportunistic thieves.

“Any time of year—but especially during the holidays—it is extremely important to be aware of the potential for crime,” Young says. There are a number of ways to protect yourself and avoid becoming a victim this holiday season.

Hidden Treasures

Do not leave valuables such as electronic equipment, gifts, power tools, or purses in the passenger area of your vehicle, Young says. This is one of the first things that thieves look for when selecting a vehicle to burglarize.

“I responded to a vehicle burglary in progress, and a witness directed the responding units to the suspect, who was arrested,” Young says. “After processing the victim’s vehicle, I found a purse had been left in the rear passenger compartment.”

This made the vehicle an easy target, Young says.

“In checking some of the neighboring vehicles I located two others with purses in plain view,” Young said.

Keep your valuables locked in the trunk if you will be away from your vehicle—even for a short time. Using the trunk does not mean that the vehicle will be 100% protected, but it will create a deterrent for thieves; they usually look for the easiest opportunity to steal, and if they don’t immediately see valuables in your car they will usually pass.

Young also says that, especially in the winter, people will leave their cars running while they wait inside their home or a store.

“It’s classic,” Young says, “Leave the car running to warm up the interior because it’s cold outside, and the bad guy gets a free ride.”

Holiday Shopping

Criminals also target holiday shoppers who are overloaded with bags and merchandise, Young says. It is important that you remain aware of your surroundings when you are shopping alone, and if you have a lot of items, ask a store employee to walk you to your car.

“When you are overloaded with purchases,” Young says, “you reach your vehicle and then have to fumble for your keys, making you an easy target.”

With all of the potential for crime, it might seem preferable to stay home to shop this holiday season. In fact, an increasing number of people will do the majority of their holiday shopping on the Internet. This will protect you from certain crimes, Young says, but it is certainly not without its traps.

There are numerous ways to become a victim of online fraud, Young says, but the most important thing to remember is that if the deal sounds too good to be true, use your common sense.

“If you are pondering a purchase from a new online vendor, do a little research first,” Young says. This will protect you from having your money taken without receiving the product, and could also prevent you from mistakenly buying stolen merchandise.

Let’s say you do all of the right things when you shop; you keep your car locked and your valuables out of sight, you buy only from reputable sellers, and you avoid potential dangers. Unfortunately, there are still ways that you can become a victim.

Home Safe

Young says that home burglaries also increase during the holiday season. Criminals know that there is a greater likelihood of valuables being in the home, and many people visit loved ones during the holidays, leaving their homes vulnerable to crime.

You can still take steps to protect your home against burglary, Young says. As with vehicles, it is important to lock the home even if you are leaving for only a short time. This includes securing all garage doors and backyard gates. If the back gate is left open, criminals will have easy access to the garage, and then they are one small step away from entering the home.

“Once inside the garage, the criminal is out of public view,” Young says. “And they have full access to the tools in your toolbox” making it all too easy to gain entry to the home. Young suggests two ways to deter criminals from gaining access in this way. The first is to install a metal, locking backyard gate. The second is to mount lights at the front and rear of the household that will expose criminals trying to sneak around the house.

The most effective deterrent, however, is getting to know the people in your neighborhood, Young says. When you know who belongs in the neighborhood, you will better be able to determine what is suspicious activity. And if you see something that doesn’t seem right, always call the police.

“I would rather be dispatched to something harmless multiple times than to not be called when we could have made a difference,” Young says.

Another advantage of knowing your neighbors is it gives you peace of mind when you leave for a family vacation or to visit loved ones.

“If you plan on leaving your home, have a neighbor check on your home and collect mail and newspapers while you’re gone,” Young says. “Nothing says, ‘Come inside,’ like piled up newspapers or door tags hanging from the front door.”

Last, Young says that even if you are home during the holiday season you should make sure your garage remains closed.

“Too many people leave their garage doors open for extended periods of time,” Young says. “That allows someone cruising around to see what valuables they might want, or might come back for.”

There are many opportunities for people to become victims during the holiday season, but there are many ways to avoid becoming a victim. The most important thing to remember, Young says, is to use common sense. If a situation doesn’t feel right, get out of that situation. Remember also that criminals often look for the easiest target or opportunity to commit a crime. If you can make life difficult on them—by installing alarms, hiding valuables, and locking your home and vehicle—you give yourself a better chance of avoiding crime.

Burglaries and thefts do occur, and they occur with increasing frequency as the holidays approach. But you do not have to become a cautionary tale. Take the steps to stay safe this holiday season, and create your own memorable, joyous stories.

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