Five Holiday Safety Tips From the Lexington Police

While the holidays are a festive time, they can also be a time when extra attention is needed to keep yourself and your belongings safe. Kristen French, a patrol officer with the Lexington Police Dept., provides five tips for a safe holiday season.

1. Don't Leave Gifts in the Car

After doing Christmas shopping, or when transporting gifts, don't leave bags, packages and wrapped presents in the car while running other errands or meet friends for a meal, French said. Put gifts in the trunk, where they aren't visible, she said, or use a screen to cover trunks that are visible. French also advises not leaving GPS units, laptops or pocketbooks in the car, even if locked. "It's been a huge challenge within town recently," French said. "Someone can be in and out of your car in under one minute."

2. Arrange for Packages to be Delivered Out of Sight

Arrange for package deliveries to be made to an enclosed porch, back door or other area that is not as visible as outside a front door or on the stoop, French said. Or, ask a neighbor to take packages inside for you if you'll be gone all day. There have been instances of packages being stolen from in front of homes after delivery, French noted. "A couple of years ago we had a rash of it," she said.

3. Use Care Disposing of Packaging

When putting packaging from gifts, toys, electronics and other items out for trash or recycling pickup, French advises residents to cut up packages and invert boxes. Failing to do some could advertise to the wrong person that your house has a new flat-screen TV or gaming system. "They know the trash routes," French said.

4. Be Aware of Your Surroundings at Night

With it getting dark before 5 p.m., French said to use extra caution while walking to a car in a parking lot at night, and park as close to a light source as possible. Also, don't be distracted by cell phones, or looking for items in a purse or briefcase while walking to the car, she said. French also suggests waiting to click an automatic unlock button until you're within site of your car, so nobody can slip inside the passenger's side without you noticing. "The number one thing I tell people is to be aware of their surroundings," she said. "The best encounter is the one you don't have."

5. Be Safe Crossing the Streets

With darkness, snow and ice, pedestrians should use extra care in crossing the streets, French said. Take the extra time to find a crosswalk, and look to make sure a car has stopped before venturing into the street. Sometimes people slow down for crosswalks because they know one is there – not because they've seen you, French said. "Don't assume you've been seen," she said. "There are still distracted drivers and blind spots."