From the Murphy Police Department:
There are three main areas that we must be aware of during the holiday season: At home, while traveling, and while shopping.
Shopping:
* When shopping, park your vehicle in consideration of the time you will be returning to your vehicle, not what the lighting conditions were when you parked. Park in a place close to an entrance and one that will be well lit when you return to your car.
* When exiting the store, have your keys in your hand and be ready to open your car or hit the duress button.
* Check the interior of the vehicle before you reenter you vehicle for hidden persons or evidence of burglary.
* If you put packages in your vehicle while shopping, place the package in the trunk or out of view if you do not have a trunk. Do not leave the vehicle unlocked and take your purse and keys with you. A black (or dark) blanket laid over packages in the back of an SUV with darkened windows makes outside detection of packages almost impossible -- try that.
* Shop with at least one other person. Or, if you must shop alone, make sure that at least one other person knows what your shopping itinerary is; check in, periodically, with this person. Have a pre-established meeting time to reconnect with kids and other in your shopping group.
* Do not flash large amounts of money. Use credit/debit cards, if possible or be very aware of where you are when you take cash out of your billfold or purse. Only display the cash you will need to pay for the items. Put change immediately into your billfold or purse -- do not just shove it in a pocket or carry cash openly.
* If something just does not feel right about a situation or when you return to your vehicle, it just doesn't feel right, call the police immediately. Rely on your intuition. No matter where you are, the police do not want you to be a victim and have no problem assisting you. If you do not want to call the police, many shopping malls and centers have security or courtesy officers that will be happy to assist you.
At home:
* While Christmas trees are festive and beautiful, displaying the Christmas tree in an exterior window with presents under the tree is an open invitation to burglary. Put the presents under a tree on the interior of the home out of view of passers-by.
* Home deliveries should be made when persons are going to be home or have the packages delivered to a third location, such as your place of employment if your employer would not object, or other suitable place.
* Make sure that all entrances to your home, including the garage, are shut and locked even if you are home. The garage is one of the most common locations for minor thefts -- many times residents are home, but just not monitoring the garage.
While traveling:
* Make a plan and stick to the plan.
* Let others know where you are going and what your estimated travel times are.
* If you will be traveling to a part of the country that has snowy weather, plan for icy roads or snow delays with water, warm clothing, and food. Be ready for any event.
* Keep your gas tank at least half full, especially if you are traveling alone.
* Before your trip, have your vehicle completely checked out by a reputable vehicle service center.
After Christmas:
* Do not put empty boxes on the curb. This will tell criminals what new appliances or gadgets the family just added to the household inventory. If you can store the boxes until garbage day and put them into the recycling bin, do that. Boxes can be flattened or disassembled to some degree and placed in bundles to help disguise what was in the box. Pay attention to the local media and or the City of Murphy Web page for any future planned community trash day.
Lastly, have fun and enjoy the Holiday Season. Being prepared does not mean being paranoid.
The men and women of the Murphy Police Department wishes you all a very happy and safe holiday season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Murphy Police Department
