Police: Beware of criminals on the prowl this holiday
‘Tis the season for holiday cheer, but Colorado Springs Police are also warning that it’s the prime time for criminals on the prowl.
“Going through big parking lots, they can see packages items of value, it’s easy to just pop a window and get into those cars and take those packages,” explained Officer Geri Pring with the Colorado Springs Police Department.
Shopper Janna Gomez says she’s seen this sort of thing first-hand. She says she was planning to make a run inside a Colorado Springs craft store when she noticed something peculiar.
“I parked and I was loading my coupon on my smartphone and I saw a woman wandering the parking lot,” said Gomez. “She was just walking around looking into cars, pulling the door handle and moving on.”
Gomez says the woman was deliberately looking for items inside cars to steal.
Officer Pring says thieves prey particularly on holiday shoppers, and those who leave bags and gifts inside unlocked cars.
“Criminals take the opportunity to commit the crimes. So if things are in plain view, easy to get in and out and not be spotted,” said Officer Pring.
When it comes to safety, you can never be too cautious. That’s why police recommend double-and-triple-checking your doors.
“If you’re exiting a shopping center and you have items from different stores and your hands are full, I would even take the opportunity before I exited the store to have my keys in hand so I could unlock the vehicle as I got closer to it,” added Pring.
