Reminder: Holiday Safety Shopping Tips

Thousands of people are hitting local stores and shopping centers this week, many with their minds solely focused on running down that "To-Do" List. But don't let that endless list of to-dos, allow you to lose sight of being a safe shopper. 

The Cerritos Sheriff's Station/Community Safety Center reminds locals to always be aware of your surroundings and try to shop and walk in parking lots in pairs. Statistics indicate that you are far more likely to become a victim of a crime if you are alone, according to a city-issued news release.

Here are some holiday shopping safety tips to guide you through these finals weeks of the year:

• If you must shop alone, never be afraid to make eye contact with someone. This displays confidence and lessens the chance that a potential robber would be interested. Frequently look around, especially while you are walking outside. Look for familiar faces as you move from store to store. If you notice any, this may suggest that you are being followed.
• If you carry a purse, hold it tight to your body. While you are in a parking lot, consider walking between parked cars. Keep your purse away from passing traffic as there have been incidents of a passenger reaching out from a moving vehicle to grab a purse. Never get too close to a car if the occupant is asking for directions. Leave yourself a way out of any area that you may find yourself in.
• When inside of a store or in a mall, try to keep a small area around yourself and don’t let anyone have physical contact with you. If you use your credit card, don’t lose sight of it. Be aware of the “double scan.” This occurs when your card is passed through a credit card scanner and the cash resister. It could be a way of obtaining your credit card number for an unlawful use. Don’t display the contents of your purse or wallet. Thieves may be watching to see how much cash you have and how easy of a target you would be.
• Try not to make frequent trips to your car to place merchandise inside before returning to a store. Thieves watch the parking lots and select desirable victims based on what they see. Never store anything in a visible location within the passenger compartment of your vehicle. This is an open invitation to theft.
• Finally, always look inside of your car before you get in, and have your key in your hand as you approach it. If there is someone loitering nearby, return to a location where there are other people and report it to law enforcement, security or store personnel. Use your own intuition. If something does not look right, act on your instinct and take evasive action.

Editor's note: The above safety tips were recently published in the City of Cerritos' newsletter.