FORT WORTH (WBAP/KLIF News) – Starting on Black Friday, police departments nationwide report an increase in thefts and robberies as millions of Americans begin their holiday shopping.
Arlington resident April Menz said she does not want to become a statistic and takes extra steps to make sure she avoids becoming a target for thieves.
“I dress for success and make sure my outfits are shopping ready. I always make sure my outfits have pockets, so i can make sure I have room for my cell phone and my keys on me at all times, so i don’t have to dig for them in my purse when i need to leave the store or if i need to make a quick getaway,” she said.
Those are just a few steps the Fort Worth Police Department wants more people to adopt and they urge shoppers to do even more.
The department’s Officer Ivan Gomez said shoppers typically make this mistake.
“One of the common errors that we see is that when people go shopping…they go from place to place to place. A lot of times they leave stuff in their vehicle where people can see it in their front seat or back seat. That’s just a target for burglars. We always suggest people to hide it or take it with you,” he said.
Gomez acknowledges that it can be hard to focus with all of the crowds, to-do lists and holiday displays at malls, but adds that it’s important to be more vigilant at this time no matter what is going on in the background.
“When you’re going into a store walking out of a store…just kind of look around and be aware of what’s going on. We also suggest people to if you can any items that you buy lock them safely in your trunk,” said Gomez.
Some residents will be buying gifts from an online sellers via Craigslist or other shopping apps. Police advise these shoppers or sellers to be even more cautious because the dangers for these types of transactions are doubled.
“Meet at a safe location. You can meet in the parking lot of our police station. We always tell people to go to a gas station, somewhere it’s public, where there’s a lot of people, where it’s lighted if it’s at night,” said Gomez.
Unfortunately, there have been some deadly incidents involving person-to-person online sales across the Metroplex over the past few years.
It’s something Menz said she keeps in mind.
She said while the holidays are an exciting time for most, it’s important for everyone to keep in mind that sometimes danger is lurking behind us.
“Just be mindful that this is the time of the year that people who are not excited about this time of the year…who are excited about committing crimes that are looking for victims are out there…they are out there looking for something for free,” said Menz.
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