HOLIDAY TIPS

To be Safe for the Holidays, Remember the Three A’s of Crime Prevention:

• Be Aware of Your Surroundings, Be Alert to Suspicious People and Vehicles, Avoid Dangerous Situations. Your goal is to avoid being injured. There is nothing in your purse or wallet worth serious injury or death!
• Is it absolutely necessary to carry a purse at all times?   A wallet or credit card in a pocket would be less tempting. 
• Carry only the amount of cash or credit cards that you need. 
• Zip or close purse securely to avoid pickpocketers.  Carry purse or shoulder-bag in front of you and close to your body.  Do not carry spare keys in your purse. 
• Keep your purse on your lap when dining or at meetings. 
• Avoid carrying a lot of packages, it can make you look defenseless.  Place all packages and gifts in the locked trunk of your vehicle.  
• In the supermarket, do not leave your purse in the shopping cart.  REMEMBER: Out-of-sight, out-of-mind, out-of-purse!  
• Avoid displaying valuables such as jewelry or large sums of money.  Also, dress so you can walk or run easily to avoid an attack. 
• Throughout Florida, citizens are facing follow-home strong-arm robberies.  As you drive home day or night, look for potential danger before entering your driveway.  Walkways, doorways, and driveways should be well-lit around your home.  
• Do not enter your driveway if a suspicious vehicle has followed you.  Go to the nearest safe location, or an area where there are people and call the police.  If you are confronted in your driveway, remain in your locked car with your windows up and blow your horn.  The distance from your car to your front door is no man's land.  
• If attacked outside, just give up the property and when attacked, if you are going to be knocked down, sit down. 
• When using the ATM, make sure that it is not in a secluded location and is well lighted.  Also, use the “buddy system”.  Go directly to your car and count the cash in your vehicle, not at the ATM.  
• At home, do not display all your gifts where they can be seen from a window or doorway. 
• Going on vacation for the Holidays – have a friend or family member check on your home and leave emergency contact information with them.  
• Beware of con-games and fraud schemes, only give to charities that you have dealt with before.  
• Be aware of where you are and where you are going at all times.  Stay away from a  potentially dangerous area or situation.  
• Trust your instincts.  If you suspect something is wrong, or if a situation seems dangerous, you may by right!  Don’t dismiss suspicious people, cars, or situations.  Report them immediately.