By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
It's the height of the Christmas shopping season and the Hays Police Department is offering holiday safety tips for shoppers, who are often distracted and in a hurry.
"The holiday excitement can be ruined if you become the victim of a crime," said Sgt. David Vilaysing.
"Even though Hays is a very safe community, we have compiled some steps you can take when doing your Christmas shopping to decrease your chances of becoming a victim."
Holiday shopping safety tips
• Before you leave to go shopping, let someone know where you are going and how long you will be gone. If you are shopping at night, consider going with a friend.
• When parking at a store or mall, try to park in a well-lit area.
• Limit what you are carrying around the stores or mall by making more than one trip out to your vehicle.
• When leaving packages in your vehicle, put them in the trunk or somewhere they will not be seen.
• Visible packages are an open invitation for a car burglary, whether your car is locked or not.
• Always lock your vehicle.
• When making purchases, be careful not to flash large amounts of cash. Using a debit card of a credit card may be a safer way to make purchases.
• If you must enter a PIN for your debit card, remember to keep the keypad covered while you enter your PIN.
• If you carry a purse, it is better to leave your purse on your shoulder while shopping than leaving it in a shopping cart.
• If you must absolutely place the purse in the cart, always keep it zipped or snapped closed and if available, use the child safety belt and snap it through the purse strap.
• Never turn your back from the purse in the shopping cart. It only takes a second for someone to grab it and run.
• If you carry a wallet, keep it in an inside coat pocket or front pants pocket.
• Do not carry a large amount of cash. Consider limiting the number of credit cards you have while shopping in case your purse or wallet gets lost or stolen.
• When you are leaving a store, have your car keys in your hand so you do not have to hunt for them while standing by your vehicle.
Porch pirates
• Watch our for Porch Pirates. Track your online purchases and plan so they do not sit on your front porch for an extended period of time.
• Doorbell cameras are a good deterrent but not always enough.
"I'd say in Hays our biggest problem of all these is porch pirates. You need to make sure you have your packages picked up in a timely manner after they're delivered to your house," Vilaysing said.
He also recommends reporting any package theft as soon as possible.
"The sooner the crime's reported, the more likely we are to be able to collect the information we need and follow any potential leads, Vilaysing said.
Vilaysing said Hays police are often able to solve porch pirate thefts when the alleged thief is local, and there is a video available to share with the public who may be able to help with the identification of the suspect.