We gathered up police departments across the country Christmas shopping safety tips to prepare you for the Holiday season.
Criminals love Christmas. It’s a pretty lucrative season for them. While we’re enjoying the most wonderful time of the year, they’re busy looking for easy marks to target.
Let’s make sure it’s not you!
Christmas Shopping Safety Tips
1. Don’t shop alone at night.
It’s best to have someone with you when you’re shopping in the evening.
If you must shop alone at night, park as close to the store as you can, and park in a well-lit area.
2. Put the packages in the trunk of the car.
Leaving your bags and packages in your car rather than your trunk is a mistake the bad guys hope you make.
It’s sort of like hanging a sign on your car that reads, “Please break the glass and help yourself.”
3. Take your car keys out of your purse before you leave the store.
People who want to rob you or do you harm need you to be distracted so that you can’t see them coming.
They target women who are distracted by digging around in their purse for their keys.
4. Don’t text when you’re walking to and from your car.
In the same way that hunting for your keys takes your eyes off your surroundings, texting is a signal that you’re an easy mark.
5. Try not to use the ATM.
ATMs are to criminals what candy shops are to kids. In most cases, it’s easy for them to walk up to you or to your car and force you to hand over your money.
If you absolutely must have cash, go to the drive-thru teller at your bank.
This is a safety tip from the Windham, NH Police Dept found HERE
6. Never leave your purse in the front of a cart.
You may think you’ll know if someone is bothering your purse, but you won’t. There are plenty of bad guys who are masters at either grabbing your entire purse or sneaking their hand in to get your wallet.
Zip up or close your purse and then put the child seatbelt through the straps. Thieves don’t want to deal with someone who makes it hard for them to steal something. They’ll move on.
7. No wearing expensive jewelry when you’re shopping.
For obvious reasons, leave it at home.
8. Try not to carry lots of cash.
Every time you check out at a store, there is the potential for a bad guy to notice cash in your wallet.
If you can avoid using cash, it’s probably a good idea.
9. Lock your car doors as soon as you’re inside.
The very first thing you should do when you get in is to lock the doors. Don’t put your seatbelt on or start your engine until you’ve hit the lock button.
Those are the best tips I’ve learned from police officers to stay safe Christmas shopping.
Please be careful when you’re out having fun Christmas shopping. How do you stay safe when you’re Christmas shopping? Any tips I’ve left out?
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31 comments on “Police are Prompting Women to Know these Holiday Shopping Safety Tips”
I would never ever leave a purse in a shopping cart secured or not. I am blown away by the number of people that do this. Unbelievable. Grew up in the UK and it was a definite NONO.
Use that carabiner clip on a strap on your children’s clothes and clipped to the cart, so your children will not be grabbed while you are distracted.
these r all good safe mesures to take
I only carry one card; ID; keys and phone ; either a tiny purse UNDER my shirt; or one of those phone/card holding lanyards also wearing it under clothing. List and pen in hand; here I go. If I absolutely need to take the handbag I “clip it in the bottom of the cart. Lay scarf/sweater/jacket over it. Whenever shopping is complete; unload purchase and there it is..Returning it into the cart among the bags. **I ALWAYS wear keys around my neck under clothing”**
I lock my purse inside my car before transferring groceries from basket to trunk. Hold keys or put them in a pocket. Lock trunk open door & get in & lock immediately.
When walking along the street have your handbag on your shoulder and walk close to the shops keeping your bag on the shop side, no chance of grabbing your bag and running off with it.
Very useful tips! I have mostly forgotten our keys at the shopping store when I was going on shopping last time I have forgotten own mobile at supermart. so these tips are usually useful for me thanks for sharing great tips.
Many years ago I was having my nails done when 2 guys walked into Che shop (I assumed they were there to pick up their girlfriends….NOT SO!!!!
They proceeded to pull out guns, first guy held his gun to my temple. They proceeded to tell us to leave our purses there & herded us to the back rooms telling us we would be shot if we caused any commotion or made noise.
They took all our valuables, including jewelry, phones, etc.
Don’t take ur purses/wallets/jewelry into ur nail shop. Please be aware of people that come in & don’t look like they belong there! GOOD LUCK…be careful.
Dont shop near Christmas. Its packed, people are scrambling and running around ruins the enjoyment of spending time with people and family!
I finish my Christmas shopping by summer every year, and everything is wrapped by Halloween. November through December is crazy enough and you dont have to worry about criminals looking for easy targets because you’re not there!
It’s also easy easier to stay on budget shopping for 3 kids when you’re not surrounded by hysteria over deals like black Friday. I doubt even leave the house that weekend, were baking cookies and banana bread instead!
I would only add to make sure no one is in your vehicle before you get in.