Holiday safety: Austin police offer tips ahead of shopping season

AUSTIN, Texas – The Austin Police Department is offering tips for people to stay safe during the holidays.

Holiday safety tips

What they’re saying:

APD says vehicle crimes tend to escalate in popular shopping areas all over town this time of year, but the crime is preventable.

Thieves target shopping malls, apartment complexes, convenience stores, and any parking facilities, including residential driveways.

Items stolen include laptop computers, purses, wallets, cell phones, cameras, credit cards, GPS systems, radios, and other items left in plain view.

You’re asked to always lock your vehicle and take all your keys.

Leave no valuables in plain sight and follow these tips:

Prioritize shopping – If you are going out shopping and you know, you are going to buy a large, expensive item, try to make that purchase last, so you don’t have to leave it in your vehicle while shopping elsewhere.
Don’t leave valuables or even anything perceived as valuable in plain view such as empty purses and laptop bags, mail, phone chargers, etc. If it appears to have value, hide it or remove it from your vehicle.
Lock Your Car and take your keys – if you have a TOUCH PAD entry, or a KEYLESS FOB: DON’T lock your car key inside believing it is secure. Car thieves specifically target touch pad entry and keyless fob vehicles because they know it is far more likely that owners lock a key inside.
Always Park in a well-lighted and observable area.
Have the keys to your vehicle in hand before walking out of a store. This will prevent you from having your attention diverted from having to feel around for keys.
Stay alert and avoid talking/texting on your phone while walking to and from your vehicle. Talking or texting while walking diverts your attention and makes you a more accessible target.

APD says immediately after Thanksgiving/Black Friday and Christmas are the periods where it sees a rise in burglaries.

In order to keep your possessions safe, you should follow the tips below:

Break down all boxes from your gifts and place them in a closed recycling container to prevent burglars from knowing there are new items in your residence.
Close window shades and blinds when no one is home to prevent burglars from window shopping in your home.
Close and lock all windows and doors prior to leaving your residence.
Secure all valuables from immediate view such as laptops, cellphones, wallets, etc.; if a burglar looks in and sees a laptop close to the door or window, it becomes an easy target.
Close and lock your garage, as well as any storage sheds, on your property.
Record all serial numbers of valuables so that police can have the opportunity to try to recover your property if it is stolen; if you keep your list in an electronic device, ensure you have a printed copy available in the event your device is stolen.
Call in suspicious persons and vehicles to 911 immediately, so that officers can identify the intentions of the person and/or vehicle in your neighborhood.
Recommendation: If possible, installing security cameras (even inexpensive ones) can significantly help police solve a case.