Pueblo Police offer holiday shopping safety tips

The holiday shopping season kicks into high gear on Thursday night and Pueblo Police say there are some simple steps you can take to stop the Grinch from ruining your Christmas.

Park in well-lit areas, avoid concealment like large dumpsters, trucks or vans, or anything else that limits the visibility of you and your vehicle.
Lock your doors and close your windows.
Don’t leave items of value within your car.
Scan the area surrounding your vehicle when you park and when you return. Be sure to look for suspicious persons that may be loitering in the area.
Lock your doors immediately after entering your vehicle.
Don’t leave your cars unattended while warming up. 50% of stolen cars are left running and have keys in them.
Avoid carrying large amounts of cash with you.
Never leave purses and wallets unattended, especially in strollers or shopping carts.
Never hide a second set of keys in your car. Criminals know the hiding spots.
If you leave store purchases in your vehicle, lock them in your trunk, and lock the trunk pull lever within your car. Criminals tend to watch shoppers place purchases in their vehicles.
Avoid carrying so many packages that you are unaware of your surroundings and personal safety.
Do not leave items of value visible. Many smash & grab thieves are opportunists. Try to avoid leaving items of value all together within your vehicle to limit the probability.
Place your purse, wallet, or laptop in the trunk before you get to your destination.
Experienced thieves often stake out parking lots and watch for people hiding items or placing items of value in the trunks of their vehicles.
Don’t make it easy. Keep doors locked, and windows/sunroofs closed. Almost one-fourth of thefts from vehicles are from unlocked cars.
Be mindful of bags, backpacks etc. that may portray items of value being left in a vehicle.

Finally, police say you should trust your instincts. If something doesn’t seem right, call for help.