Pick-pockets, Purse Snatchers and Other Grinches

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring...or are they? Just like you, this is also the shopping season for crooks.

Bad economic times means Christmas crime will be on the increase this year. Crooks will be desperate and more blatant than ever before. Due diligence is required upon your part in order to thwart these slime dogs from separating you from your holiday spirit, or worse.

Study these tips and share them with your friends and family. If we band together, we can reduce the amount of Christmas crime.

Be Safe While Shopping

Parking lots are common place for Christmas crime. If shopping at night, park in a well lit area. It's not hard to locate security cameras these days. Park near one. Burglars are pros at locating them and avoid them like the plague, but that's the smart ones. I expect to see an increase of dumb ones this year. Shop during the day if possible and avoid shopping alone.

Before leaving your car, remove and put in the trunk any radar detectors, GPS devices, IPODS, CDs or other temptations. Better yet, these items should be removed at home for the entire holiday season. Also remove all evidence of owning any such devices. This includes the charger cords and more importantly the suction cup marks left on your windshield. Crooks look for this. Although not visible, they assume somewhere in your vehicle is treasure and they may wait you out.

Remember exactly where you parked your car. You're vulture prey when wondering lost around a parking lot with arms full of packages.

Before entering the mall or store, take a quick scan of the parking lot. Is there anything that looks suspicious or out of place? Make a mental note of all you see. Be aware of your surroundings!

Never carry large amounts of cash when shopping. If you must, then break it up into several "packages" and distribute it in different areas. Your loss will be minimized. Apply the same technique to credit cards.

Avoid carrying a purse, backpack or other type bag. You're throwing out the welcome mat if you do so. If the mall or store you are visiting offers lockers, get one! Your valuables should be locked up and your money and credit cards placed in the pockets of your pants or pockets of other tight fit clothing.

Separate your car keys from your house keys. Most people today have automatic lock features on their key chains. The panic buttons on these things instantly identifies your car when activated. A quick check of your registration inside directs the crook to your address. Armed with the house key, he can be in and out before you're even done with mall security. He also knows that your spouse will eventually be leaving to come and get you!

Be extra careful when in a crowded situation where people are bumping into one another. Pick-pockets thrive in this type of environment and this is the most common Christmas crime. They use this "bumping" diversion to distract you from what they do best.

Begin your shopping with the more expensive and small-sized gifts. If you've utilized the locker option, now is a good time to unload these items to a more secure location. Put them in your locker and relax. Maybe this is a good time to lock them in the trunk of your car. Less for you to carry...less for the crooks to steal.

Avoid using an ATM machine if you can. They are Christmas crime magnets. If you must use one, be sure to protect your password from spies' eyes.

Vigilance begins at home! Structure your shopping trip with a plan. Are your gifts thought out or are you going to wander around for ideas? The better your plan, the more organized you'll appear. Shopping in frustration or while exhausted diminishes your alertness and reeks of fresh harvest to crooks.

Leave before closing time. Walk out with other people if you can. Once again, be alert. Remember the initial scan you made when entering the mall? How does that look now? If anything looks suspicious return to the mall and call their security for assistance.

As you approach your car, check under and around it. Once inside, immediately lock your doors and move on. Do not be deterred by any distractions. Leave the area immediately and investigate anything unusual in another location. A case in point...crooks put what looked like a parking ticket on cars at a mall. The trick was that they taped it to the back window and weren't seen by the driver until backing out of the parking space. The unsuspecting driver then got out of his running car to investigate and...you guessed correctly. A slight shove to the driver and off they went with the car as well as his Christmas. Everything can wait for a few miles, even a flat tire. If your car seems disabled, lock the doors and dial information for mall security or 911. Be sure to check the respondent's ID before unlocking your doors, especially if they arrived much faster than expected.

Be Safe at Home

Take home security to the uppermost level during the holidays. As previously mentioned, Christmas crime may be at an all time high this year. Lock your doors and windows.

Gifts under the tree are another invitation to Christmas crime. Crooks may pose as meter readers or delivery men and can scan through a window with photographic-type memory. Keep gifts out of view until Christmas Eve.

Utilize timers on lights to appear that you are home when away. A radio or TV should be left on. Give the appearance that someone is home at all times. Not only keep your garage door closed, lock the door from the garage to the house for the holidays. Garage door opener technology is easily manipulated by experienced crooks.

Shopping online has become another source of gift purchasing. The problem is these gifts must be delivered to your door. In most cases, should you not be home, they are simply left on your doorstep. A case of Christmas crime in Chicago last year exposed a woman following UPS trucks. She used her cell phone to call her boyfriend who wasn't far behind. She would inform him of addresses where a package had just been left. He'd swing by and snag it. If you are unable to be at home to accept a package, have it sent to a friend who is always home or to your work. Ask a neighbor to be on the look-out and safeguard it for you.

Be careful on garbage day. Boxes stacked up on your curb can target you for Christmas crime. Crooks can determine what's in your home and they also know it's new. Cut up and bag all boxes if possible. If not, at least turn them inside out so the printed side is not visible.

Identity theft is a growing problem today and a major source for Christmas crime. Safeguard your receipts and credit cards. Don't allow a crowded store or a hectic shopping trip rush you into carelessness. Be sure to get your receipt and any ID or credit card returned to you. Stand strong and finish the transaction responsibly.

It is unfortunate our holiday spirit is diluted by the threat of Christmas crime but, it is in fact a reality. Staying alert and applying common sense is your best defense against becoming a Christmas crime statistic.