ATLANTA - As shoppers rush to the stores after Thanksgiving dinner, authorities across Metro Atlanta advise families to protect their purchases by taking safety precautions while out at stores.
Thieves and robbers often target shoppers as they return to their vehicles, or browse inside cars while shoppers are inside. Also, pickpocketing thieves and purse snatchers are out in full force searching for an easy grab.
Authorities give the following advice:
- Always hold onto your wallet, purse or backpack while shopping, and do not set it down on counters or on top of vehicles when entering or leaving your car.
- Conceal your purchases in your trunk to prevent smash-and-grab thefts, and even stash purchases in your trunk before you drive to your next destination.
- For the priciest items on your buying list, such as electronics, authorities advise to never leave those items in your vehicle and simply driving them straight home.
- Only carry a manageable amount of purchases through shopping centers and to the parking lot.
- Hold your keys as you walk from the store to your vehicle, and stay alert and off cell phones or music devices.
- Park as close as possible to an entrance or by a well-lit area.