The St. Charles Police Department Offers Residents Tips for Safe Holiday Shopping

Keep Your Season Merry and Avoid Becoming a Victim of a Shopping Crime

Thanksgiving weekend marks the traditional start of the holiday shopping season. The St. Charles Police Department would like to offer 10 tips for protecting yourself against shopping crimes this holiday season:

1.       Pay attention to your valuables (bags, purses, wallets, phones, etc.) at all times and avoid distractions such as talking on your cell phone or listening to an MP3 player.

2.       Wear your purse diagonally across the front of your body or place your wallet in a front pocket.

3.       Do not carry large sums of cash.

4.       Beware of strangers that approach you or bump into you.

5.       Conceal your PIN during credit/debit card transactions.

6.       Throngs of shoppers can lead to frustrations, rage or even mob violence. If you find yourself in a mob scene, remain calm and carefully move to the outside of the mob. Search out protective barriers like walls, and avoid bottlenecks.

7.       Never park in an unlit or poorly lit parking lot.

8.       Never leave packages visible inside your car. Store them in the trunk instead.

9.       Have your keys in your hand when you approach your car. While loading your, car do not leave handbags or purses unattended.

10.    Check your account balances frequently to check for unauthorized purchases and report lost or stolen cards immediately.

“Shoppers really need to keep track of their valuables and be aware of who is around them at all times,” warns Bill Tynan, Crime Prevention Officer in the St. Charles Police Department. “Turning your back briefly on a bag of purchases or a purse resting in a shopping cart is all the time a criminal needs to take those items.”

For more information, visit www.stcharlesil.gov or contact Bill Tynan, Crime Prevention Officer at 630-377-4435.

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About the City of St. Charles

Friendly neighborhoods, diverse retailers, international employers, innovative schools, beautiful parks, varied cultural amenities, and unique architecture have earned St. Charles its reputation as the Pride of the Fox. Located in both DuPage and Kane counties, the City of St. Charles is 35 miles west of downtown Chicago, and has a population of approximately 33,000. Over 2,100 businesses, consisting of a balanced mix of retailers, restaurants and manufacturing facilities, employ more than 18,000 people. The City of St. Charles was named the #1 City for Families by Family Circle® magazine in 2011; one of the “150 Great Places in Illinois,” by the AIA Illinois; and one of the “Top 10 Towns To Live In” by West Suburban Living magazine. www.stcharlesil.gov