The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

November 25, 2009

Shoppers warned to keep eye out for thieves

By Amelia A. Pridemore

Christmas may be a bright time, but police say some criminals believe it’s the right time to grab your cash and run.

But they say jingle-bell time can still be a swell time if you take precautions to keep the thieves at bay.

When shoppers pack stores during the holiday season, police say, criminals will often be ready to pounce — by stealing purses, breaking into cars, stealing cash or credit cards or burglarizing homes.

However, there are measures people can take to protect themselves.

“There’s always a few things you can do to lessen your likelihood of becoming a victim,” Beckley police Capt. Jeff Shumate said.

Car break-ins are common during the holiday season. Shumate estimated 15 to 20 percent of all these crimes happen to vehicles left unsecured. Besides locking vehicles, Shumate advises parking in well lighted areas and making sure all valuables like Christmas presents are not visible. If a vehicle has a locked trunk, those items should be placed there.

People should also be careful with their purses and wallets, Shumate said. If a woman brings a purse inside a store, she should try to keep it on her person and not unattended in a shopping cart. Carrying a wallet that contains only what is needed for a shopping trip could deter purse thieves as well.

Shumate said that if people feel comfortable using debit cards, it could be better to use that than carrying large amounts of cash. Those who carry cash should limit the amount others actually see.

“If you have a large amount of cash in hand, you increase your possibility of being a victim of crime,” he said.

Shumate said residential burglaries do not tend to increase during the holiday season. However, potential burglars are often attracted to homes where the residents are gone for an extended time period. One way to deter them is to secure the home and not having boxes for large appliances or electronics outside.

He also advises having someone periodically check on the home and make it appear like someone is actually home. Measures to do that include hooking lights up to a timer, having mail or newspaper deliveries temporarily stopped and having someone shovel any snow outside.

Shumate does not believe the economic downturn will be the real reason some people will commit holiday season property crimes. Those who blame the economy are generally just trying to make an excuse for their actions, he says.

— E-mail: apridemore@register-herald.com

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