Safety tips: How to keep holiday season from becoming crime time

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The Day, Sean D. Elliot / AP

Shoppers wait in line at Best Buy in Waterford, Conn., on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2013.

Wed, Nov 25, 2015 (2 a.m.)

As if holiday shopping isn't stressful enough, taking extra precautions against robbery, burglary and identity theft can seem like a burden.

According to Metro Police, however, a few preventive actions can help shoppers avoid becoming crime victims.

"Thieves often prey on those doing holiday shopping because they know that valuables are stored in vehicles," Officer Michael Rodriguez said. "It's important that we communicate to everybody safety tips in order to prevent being victimized."

Below are shopping safety tips offered by Metro, the National Crime Prevention Council and AlertID.

What to do (or not do) while shopping

• As much as possible, shop in the daylight with at least one other person. There's safety in numbers.

• Park in well-lit areas, and try to park near other vehicles. However, owners of small cars should avoid parking next to large vehicles. Bigger cars can block their vehicles from view, providing cover for thieves and possibly causing hindrances in the case of an emergency.

• Children on shopping trips should memorize their cellphone numbers and know to look for security in case they get lost. Families and groups should arrange a place ahead of time to meet if anyone gets separated.

• Make sure to keep your wallet or purse close to your body, and limit the amount of cash you carry to what you'll need for the shopping trip. Do the same for credit cards. It's easy to lose track of your personal items while holiday shopping, and you want to limit the potential damage to your finances as much as possible.

• Don't become complacent while in the store. Notice the people around you, and don't load yourself down with bags. It's important to be able to move freely in case of an emergency.

• When walking to your vehicle, keep your keys in hand. Before sitting inside, check your back seat and scan the area around your vehicle. Immediately after getting in, lock the doors.

• If shopping for gifts at multiple stores, try to grab big-ticket items like TVs at the end of your trip so you won't have to leave them in your car unattended.

• Store gifts out of view to make your vehicle less attractive to burglars. Clean out your trunk before your trip so you can place gifts there rather than in the back seat.

• Make sure all windows are rolled up and doors are locked when you exit the vehicle, and consider purchasing an alarm or other security devices like a steering wheel lock that are made to deter car break-ins.

How to avoid identity theft

• Before shopping online, update your anti-spam, anti-virus and anti-spyware programs to keep your computer protected.

• Use familiar websites to avoid online financial predators. For major store websites that have copycats, call the store and ask for the URL for the company's official website.

• When paying for something online, make sure the Web address begins with "https," which means your information is encrypted before being sent.

• If shopping online using your home Wi-Fi, ensure your wireless router has encryption turned on. Follow the directions that came with your router, and if it's an option, select WPA2 encryption for maximum protection.

• Always research a company by reading online reviews from different websites before sharing your financial information online.

• Save a copy of the receipt from any Web or in-person transaction, and compare the total cost to what appears on your credit card bill or in your list of bank transactions.

• When shopping in person, don't make your credit or debit card visible until the cashier asks for it. This way, other shoppers can't take note of your credit card information.

• Make sure any financial documents and other important papers are locked away and not visible in your vehicle as you shop. Also, remove your laptop and other portable electronics from the vehicle, or at least have it locked away in the trunk to avoid giving a thief easy access to your personal information.

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