‘Tis the Season for Thieves : How Travelers and Shoppers Can Thwart Yule Criminals

While millions of children look forward to a jolly old elf coming down the chimney at this time of year, there’s another group that likes to visit the homes of strangers: burglars.

Police report that only the summer vacation season outdoes the Christmas-New Year holidays for burglaries. Other crimes also increase as pickpockets and thieves prey on travelers and shoppers.

Being away from home for a holiday trip, or just to visit friends for a few hours, can be an invitation to burglars. One way to discourage them is to make the house look like someone is home, say officials of ADT Security Systems.

Leave lights on in several rooms, for example. And if you will be gone for a while, attach timers to the lights to turn them on and off at varying intervals.

Talk Radio Helps

Leaving a radio playing, tuned to an all-talk station, can also help, by making it sound like people are inside.

And leave drapes and shades in their normal household pattern, ADT officials say.

Before leaving, turn down the volume of the telephone bells. Constant ringing advertises absence to someone outside.

If going away for an extended trip, ADT says, leave a car parked in the driveway and make arrangements to have someone shovel the snow if that is needed. Also, cancel all deliveries--such as milk and newspapers--and have a friend collect your mail and put out some trash at your home on garbage collection day.

The Chubb Group of Insurance Companies reports that many claims in this season involve small pilferage. Officials there urge putting small valuables out of sight when having parties. Doing so before caterers arrive can be a good idea.

Fire claims also jump at Christmas, the company says, reiterating the reminder to make sure the Christmas tree is watered and that the lights are not left on. This may be a good time to check the battery in the smoke detector.

Whether traveling or shopping, never leave visible gifts in an unattended car. Bring them into the motel room with you. At a shopping center at least lock parcels in the trunk.

While traveling, remain constantly wary, say security officials of the American Express Co.

Thieves operating at airports, train stations and other crowded areas usually operate in groups of two to four, they report. One crook seeks to distract the victim while an accomplice steals a wallet, purse or baggage.

Ploys can include a seemingly spilled purse, a handful of dropped coins or other maneuvers.

‘Beware of Pickpockets’

In some areas pickpockets have even been known to put up signs saying “Beware of pickpockets.” Then they watch people to see which pocket they pat after noticing the sign. That way the crook knows where the valuables are on the potential victim.

Never leave baggage unattended, American Express says, because many thefts are simply crimes of opportunity when someone puts their luggage down to buy a newspaper or other item. Baggage carts should be pushed ahead, where they can be seen, not pulled along behind and out of sight.

Men should not carry their wallet in a back pocket, it is among the easiest to steal from. And women should carry handbags with the flap turned toward the body and carried against the hip or in front where it can be seen. The handbag should never be allowed to slide to the back, where it is out of her sight.

Dressing down can help too, to avoid attracting the attention of crooks looking for affluent victims. And don’t carry all valuables together.