Don't let crime take the 'merry' out of your holidays

Sheriff’s Department Crime Prevention Specialist John McLelland recently announced that crime “always rises during the holidays” and advises residents of the Fallbrook and Bonsall area to be on their guard.

“Be it your home or your car, always keep your windows secured and your doors locked and never open your door to a stranger,” McLelland says. “Be alert to suspicious people and/or sounds in your neighborhood and call the sheriff’s department at (760) 728-1113 to report suspicious activity.”

McLelland says the most important thing to do is pay attention to your surroundings.

“We all know not to leave purses, purchases and the like in plain view inside of our cars, but the same can be said of presents under the tree,” he says.

“Everyone likes to see a pretty Christmas tree in the window, and we all like to put our trees there for others to enjoy. However, a visible tree with all of the presents also visible is an unwitting invitation for a thief to come calling.”

Empty boxes from popular merchandise can alert a thief to an opportunity.

“The thief may not visit you right away but may wait until even after Christmas has passed, check out all of those boxes that you have put out with the trash and then decide to visit you. Be sure to cut up those boxes and put those into sealed trash bags when putting them out for trash pickup.”

“Also,” he says, “it is important to have your driver’s license number engraved on those new presents as soon as possible.”

While shopping, McLelland advises a woman carrying a purse to keep it close to her body. A man, meanwhile, should keep his wallet in a front pocket of his trousers with a rubber band around it.

“Shop during daylight hours when possible, but if you are out at night, park in well lit areas and, while on your way from the store to your vehicle, keep looking all around for ‘unsavory characters,’” he says.

“Before you leave the store, have your car key ready. If you suspect anyone is following you, walk past your car and return to the store. Most stores will gladly have an employee escort you to your vehicle if you request so.”

When approaching your vehicle in a parking lot, McLelland recommends looking under it and in the front and back seats.

“Get your purchases into the car as quickly as possible,” he says. “Get in, lock your doors, start your engine and immediately drive to another location to let your car warm up. “Don’t overload yourself so that you cannot react quickly if you need to.”

McLelland also advises shoppers to use debit or credit cards, or even traveler’s checks, rather than carrying a lot of cash.

“Trust your gut instincts,” he advises. “If something doesn’t seem right to you, take corrective action.”

When away traveling, he suggests leaving several different lamps on timers with overlapping times for activation. Leaving a radio tuned to a talk show station is also wise.

“Your home should always appear to be occupied, whether you are out Christmas shopping or traveling to far-off destinations,” McLelland advises.

“Remember, thieves are also shopping for presents. They just don’t like paying for them.”