Now that the holidays are upon us, we should be a little more careful with our daily habits. Thieves tend to target vacant homes and shoppers with hands and cars full of shopping bags. Below are a few tips to try to be a little safer during the holiday season.
While Shopping
- Park in well-lit areas of shopping center parking lots and always be aware of your surroundings.
- Use some sort of anti-theft device on your vehicle in order to prevent a vehicle from being stolen (example: steering wheel lock, loud audible alarm or a kill switch on the ignition)
- Cover your bags or keep your bags in a locked trunk if you plan to do a large amount of shopping and plan to shop at multiple stores. Bags visible through your car windows will certainly attract a potential thief.
- If you are shopping at night, ask a mall officer or store clerk to assist you to your vehicle so that you aren’t walking alone. Carry your keys in your hand so that you don’t have to fumble around in a purse or pockets in search for your keys – the less idle time, the better.When you get to your car take a second to look under and around your vehicle as well as in your back seat. If you notice any damage to your vehicle, contact local authorities immediately and notify security at the shopping center.
At Home
- Be cautious of your surroundings and who is around you when you are unloading all of your shopping bags and never leave your trunk or doors open unattended. Leaving a vehicle unlocked and unattended while unloading is the perfect opportunity for someone to burglarize your vehicle.
- Try to avoid storing your gifts under your tree, especially if the tree is visible through a window.
- If you plan to vacation during the holidays do not broadcast your plans in public, home invasions are exceptionally high in vacant homes during the holidays.
Shelter Management Group wishes you a safe and happy holiday season!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact a member of the Shelter Management Group (SMG) team, we would be happy to help! Contact us at 702-818-4780 or info @ smghoa.com.
Article Authored By: Jamie Collins, Supervising CAM, CMCA, AMS agent at Shelter Management Group (SMG)