CLIPBOARD / HOW TO : HOW TO NOT BE A CRIME VICTIM WHILE VACATIONING

Whether your vacation plans include a six-week sojourn across Europe or a day trip to the Magic Kingdom, the chances of being ripped-off is high enough to warrant exercising some precautions. According to police, 25% of all crimes logged in the county last year involved tourists.

“At Knott’s (Berry Farm), and this probably holds true for Disneyland as well, there is a very low incidence of crime,” said Stuart A. Zanville, director of public relations at the Buena Park theme park. “The enclosed nature of the park keeps people from purse-snatching or grabbing someone’s wallet.”

Also, with thousands of employees on hand at each respective park, deterrence is easily held in place.

However, outside the parks, travelers need to be wary.

Common travel-related crimes include stolen bags and cameras, lifted wallets and theft of personal items from automobiles. According to Zanville, automobile burglaries at Knott’s parking lot have declined since mounted police routinely began patrolling the Beach Boulevard parking lot three years ago.

To reduce the risk of becoming a vacationing victim, use traveler’s checks rather than cash, leave a copy of the numbers of your passport and credit cards at home, and secure valuables in the trunk of your car. Here are some other helpful travel tips:

Know Thy Neighbor. Before the luggage gets packed, get someone you trust (preferably a neighbor who lives next door or across the street) to keep an eye on your home. According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, most burglaries occur between the hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. To minimize the risk of home burglary while you are away for extended periods of time, notify the captain of your Neighborhood Watch group of your travel plans and contact the police to request additional patrols during both night and day shifts.

Watch For the Flimflam. Con artists often stage distractions in crowded places. A couple arguing in an airport lobby or near a taxi-loading zone could be setting up a third accomplice to lift your briefcase or luggage right out from under your eyes. Or maybe a stranger runs right into you, knocking you off your feet. He was in such a hurry that he never saw you. Congenially he helps you up, brushes off your clothes and steals your wallet.

Screen Photo Opportunists Closely. At prices that can reach up to $1,000, cameras are hot property . . . especially after they have been stolen. While family photos at a busy tourist attraction are endearing keepsakes, use caution when handing over an expensive camera to the gracious local who offers to immortalize the trip in a single frame. All too often as you back up, the friendly photographer simply disappears into the background.

HOTEL SECURITY TIPS

There is no such thing as a foolproof security measure. There are simply too many thieves employing too many schemes to prevent every hotel crime from taking place. To better your odds against con artists, use common sense.

Often thieves stake out the front desk area, hanging around acting as if they are waiting for someone when, in fact, these vultures are listening to the names and room numbers of guests checking in. Later, after you have checked in and are safely poolside, the con artist returns to the desk with some story about having forgotten the keys in the room. It often takes very little information to obtain an additional room key with no proof of identification. Avoid this con by quietly requesting a new room if the desk clerk hands over the key while announcing the room number or saying your name.

Imprinting your credit card is a common hotel procedure during the check-in process, but if you pay your bill in cash, ask for the imprint back or watch as it is destroyed. It is both tempting and easy for an employee to keep the cash and charge the bill on your credit card.

Source: Knott’s Berry Farm, Orange County Sheriff’s Department and Ask Mr. Foster Travel Agency