Frontenac Police Officer Offers Mall Security Advice

Jostling through crowded malls while carrying your jacket, juggling countless bags and keeping your child from breaking anything you can't afford to buy makes you an attractive target to criminals looking to grab wallets, purses and your purchases. To stymie would-be thieves:

•  A man should carry his wallet in the front pocket of his pants, rather than in a back pocket or in his jacket.

•  A woman should hold her purse close to her body, with the opening facing toward her; when walking with another person, the purse should be held between the two.

• When you can, avoid using revolving doors -- particularly the automatic kind. A thief with good timing can grab a purse or package and make a quick getaway in the time it takes you to emerge.

• Consolidate purchases into one or two large shopping bags so you can keep track of everything.

• Never leave your purchases unattended, even for a few minutes.

The threat of physical assault does not necessarily increase along with the crowds that herald the holiday season. It's when you're far from the crowd, in distant reaches of parking lots or other isolated areas of the mall that you are most vulnerable. To protect yourself:

Inside a mall: Avoid darkened hallways and other backroom areas, especially near closing

Time:  Avoid using bathrooms that are tucked away in a back area of a mall
concourse or department. If you can, find a bathroom near the mall's food court or other well-trafficked area. And always accompany your child to the bathroom.

Never use a video arcade or toy store as a baby sitter: predators are on the prowl for unattended children. More then 100,000 children are abducted every year -- often in malls or department stores, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCME).

Find out whether the malls and stores you frequent have procedures to search for a missing child.

Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Target are among retailers participating in a program developed by the NCME. The program, called "Code Adam," was named after Adam Walsh, a 6-year-old Florida boy who was killed after being abducted from a shopping mall in 1981. As soon as a child is reported missing, employees scour the aisles. If the child doesn't turn up after 10 minutes, the police are notified.

Parking Lot Safety

As parking areas fill during the holiday season, shoppers are often forced to park far from mall exits, sometimes in poorly lighted areas. Now that there is less daylight, you're likely to find yourself entering the mall while the sun is up and
leaving after dark, so make sure there are lights nearby before parking. Other parking tips:

Always try to walk to and from your vehicle with another person. If you are shopping alone, consider walking near other shoppers in the parking lot.If shopping alone and leaving at night -- particularly if you're carrying several bundles -- ask a security officer to accompany you to your car. Most malls will provide that service.   

Park as close to entrances and exits as you can. No one wants to circle the lot for an hour waiting for a good spot to open up, but give it a shot, at least for a few minutes.  If forced to the far reaches of a lot -- or even beyond the lot -- seek a spot that's well-lighted or near a well-traveled roadway.

Once your car is parked, familiarize yourself with its location so you can find it without delay. Stow your purchases in the trunk. When you're weighed down with packages, you may be tempted to throw them in the back seat and return to the mall to continue shopping.

If your purchases are in plain view, you may return to find your car windows smashed and your presents stolen. Save your most expensive purchases for last, so you can head straight home.  Have your keys ready when you approach your vehicle.

Before entering, check that no one is hiding in the back seat or under the car. Don’t automatically unlock your car door until you are right about there to avoid letting thieves know where you are headed. Keep your car locked at all times. When walking through parking lots, be sure that you are aware of your surroundings. Walk with authority. Don't look like a victim. Keep your car locked at all times.

At the Store (MORE TIPS)

Try to shop when the mall or stores are less crowded -- during the weekday, or at night when malls stay open late for holiday shoppers. Avoid the weekend rush, when it's easy to lose children among crowds. Don't dangle your handbag from your shoulder. You are creating a perfect setup for a purse-snatcher.

Instead, keep your purse tucked tightly under your arm, or better yet, don't even carry a purse. Wear a fanny pack facing the front instead. Besides allowing your hands to be free to hold onto or carry your child, you’ll eliminate the possibility of leaving your purse behind or having it stolen. If you use pockets, place your checkbook, cash, or credit cards in your front pockets.

Only bring one or two credit cards and a limited amount of cash with you. Spread your money around in different pockets. That way a pickpocket can't clean you out in one fell swoop.  Avoid carrying your checkbook, cash, and credit cards all together in one wallet, because a thief who gets the whole package together can cash checks with your identification and run up a large credit card bill in a short amount of time.

Keep your keys separate, too. Don't "flash" large rolls of money in public. You never know who's watching. Check to see you’ve been given back your card once you’ve paid for what you bought. Watch your credit card slip being filled out - and make sure it's not passed through the machine more than once. Ask for your carbons.

Destroy the carbons, but keep your credit card receipts and check them against monthly bills.Make a list of your major credit cards, their account numbers and the phone numbers to call if cards are lost. Keep this list at home.  If you’re not sure a shopping bag will be available, take one of your own to the mall.

Consolidate as many packages as possible, or make several trips to your car to deposit packages in the trunk. Don't allow yourself to become so burdened down with packages that you become a tempting target.  

Avoid carrying large, heavy packages that block your vision and make you a
target for purse-snatchers.  Keep an eye on your child. It's okay to let children look around and have fun while they shop, but they also need to understand that it's important to stay near their parents.