Crime Prevention Tips for the Holidays
‘Tis the season to be jolly, but it is also the season to wary of burglars, thieves, pickpockets
and other holiday grinches. Nothing can ruin the holiday spirit faster than becoming the victim of a crime. The
Atlanta Police Department has provided a few safety tips that will help you from being “a target” for criminals.
· Remember, whether you are leaving the house to go shopping or out for an evening of holiday parties, lock your doors
and windows! Don’t leave the drapes open with your presents in plainview. Christmas presents displayed around your tree
can be a pretty sight, but can also be quite tempting to burglars. It’s better to scatter the gifts around the house,
in closets or in the attic, where they can’t be so easily seen. · If you are leaving town for the holidays, make
sure your home appears occupied. Leave inside and outside lights on timers and have your neighbors pick up newspapers,
mail, and take flyers off your door. Ask neighbors to park in driveway. Put a timer on a talk radio station for several hours
a day. · When you’re shopping, use the trunk of your car to keep your packages out of sight. Keep your car locked
at all times. Be sure and make several trips to your car to deposit packages in the trunk. Don’t allow yourself to become
so burdened down with packages that you become a tempting target. When walking through parking lots, be sure that you are
aware of your surroundings. Walk with authority. Don’t look like a victim! · If you have a garage door opener, do
not leave the control openly displayed in your car. Keep the door leading from your house to your garage locked. Try
not to leave your garage door open at any time. · Be aware that thieves and pickpockets also do some of their biggest business
during the holiday season. Ladies, don’t dangle your handbag from your shoulder. You are creating a perfect setup for
a purse snatcher. Instead, keep your purse tucked tightly under your arm. Better yet, don’t even carry a purse. Place
your checkbook, cash, or credit cards in your front pockets. Avoid carrying your checkbook, cash, and credit cards all together
in one wallet, because if a thief gets the whole package together, they can cash checks with identification and run up a large
credit card bill in short amount of time. · Never give your credit card number over the telephone to anyone when you did
not initiate the call. And be sure that you are dealing with a reputable company when ordering merchandise over the telephone. ·
If you go to an automatic teller machine, try to go during the daylight hours. If you must go at night, pick a machine that
is well lighted and visible to passing traffic. If anyone is lurking near the machine, pass it up and find another.
If you have any questions, please contact crime@peachtreebattlealliance.org
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