A Safety Guide to Holiday Shopping

Ah, the holidays. Family is back in town. Friends are visiting. Time to head into the city—or the malls and the local shopping districts—in droves.

Just keep an eye out.

Amid all the twinkling lights, ringing bells and festive Christmas music, the serious business of gift shopping is in full swing. So are the thieves, police warn,  waiting for rushed, stressed-out shoppers distracted by long lists, impatient children, inclement weather and the sudden thought: Where, in the world, did I park the car?

With the streets and malls bustling, police and other security personnel are extra-vigilant, but they can't do it all. Bay Area law enforcement officials are urging shoppers—whether in the 'burbs or the big city—to look out for themselves to keep the holiday safe and happy.

Patch asked for holiday safety tips from local law enforcement and San Francisco Safe, a nonprofit group that provides such safety information in several languages. Some of the following tips are common sense, but all are good to keep top of mind:

- First, the common sense. Men should carry their wallets in their front pockets, purses should be zipped closed and under your arm if possible, packages should not be visible inside a car, and vehicles should always be locked. Be aware of your surroundings, carrying only small amounts of cash and having a couple of credit cards with you—the ones you are going to use. 

- Don't overburden yourself with too many packages.  "Certainly, when people are carrying a lot of things and their hands are full, they become potentially an attractive target to purse snatches or someone looking to take things from somebody," said  Los Altos Police Captain Andy Galea.  

- If shopping with children, have a plan if you become separated. "We deal with a lot of lost children when out shopping," Sgt. Galea said. "People get distracted. Talk to your children and make sure they know what to do if they get lost."

- Shop in pairs or groups—the way you should do when you're hiking. Thieves are less likely to target people who have extra support. "It's always safer to go out with more than one person," said Sgt. Ronnie Lopez, San Jose public information officer. "Whether you're walking through a parking lot or walking through the mall, you're less of a tempting target that way."

- Look like you know where you're going and be purposeful in your actions. Body language speaks volumes.  "It's important not to look lost or confused,"said Irina Chatsova, public safety coordinator at San Francisco Safe. "Be assertive and act like you know what's going on." 

- Put your credit card, debit card and PIN information on a document you leave at home. That way, all those bits and pieces of information are all in one place, so that if something does get taken, your information is available to you.

Chatsova has another word of caution, too, about that new iPhone you might have. "Don't use it in public," she said flatly. "About 70 percent of street robberies in San Francisco are iPhone grabbers."

So, zip it in. Stride confidently into the crowds. And have fun.

Happy holidays!

Got a safety tip holiday shoppers? Whether it's through hard experience or something you heard, add it below!