The St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with St. Landry Crime Stoppers put together these holiday safety tips.
The holiday season is joyous one and a special time to show each other love and gratitude but it is also a time that criminals prey on you. With this world being on such a fast track, it is easy to become careless and fall victim to a crime.
Here are some tips that you should be aware of, 1st and foremost pay attention to your surroundings. Limit or stay off your cell phone when exiting and entering your vehicle.
Try and not bring your kids shopping, you could be distracted which gives a thief the opportunity to strike.
Avoid driving alone or at night. If you must shop at night, park in a lighted area. Try not to park next to cars with tinted windows or vans.
When you arrive at the store, park as close as you can and remember where you parked. Searching around the parking lot shows criminals that you are “lost” and not paying attention to your surroundings.
Lock your doors, roll up your windows and secure your vehicle. If your car has an alarm, set it.
Criminals look for the easy way to steal, do not leave packages, purses, makeup bags, or valuables on the seat of your car. Place all your items inside your trunk or out of sight.
If you bring a purse with you, never leave it in the shopping cart or on top of your car. The monument you look the other way or get distracted, it is stolen.
When you are leaving the store, put your keys in your hand. Get ready to use the panic horn feature on your remote or use them as a weapon if need be. Do not approach your car if you see suspicious people or feel something is not right near your car. Alert the store security or manager for an escort before returning to your vehicle.
Lastly, do not stay in your car parked after you have shopped or completed a transaction at the ATM. Criminals will approach you and you could be caught off guard
Most people do not carry cash and if they do often times it is not in large amounts. The use of debit, ATM, and credit cards is the norm now. With new technology comes a new problem with safeguarding your money.
If you must use an ATM, choose one that is located inside a store, a well-lighted location, or a bank that has one you can stay in your car.
Withdraw only the amount of cash you need and protect your PIN by shielding the ATM keypad from anyone who is standing near you. This also can be used while fueling your vehicle up at the gas station or everyday day use.
Do not throw your ATM receipt away at the ATM location. Often time’s beggars and thieves go through trash looking for private information to access your account and commit identity theft.
