Police Know the Tricks of Holiday Mall Crime

Westminster Police Officer Ken Boyd’s beat is the mall. And when it comes to holiday shopping, he’s seen it all--from the petty purse-snatcher to the sophisticated shoplifter.

“I’m looking forward to it,” said the lawman, anticipating the crush of shoppers that will converge on the Westminster Mall after Thanksgiving. “I hate slow days.”

Police agencies pay special attention to shopping malls during this period, both to catch crooks and to help shoppers with everything from finding lost kids to dealing with parking-lot disputes.

Boyd said there are several common shopping scams he watches for.

One involves the use of a “booster bag,” which is usually a shopping bag covered with wallpaper on the outside and aluminum foil on the inside. The foil allows shoplifters to carry merchandise out of a store without the electronic alarms going off. The wallpaper is used to make the bag look decorative.

Boyd said police can usually spot a booster bag by its sloppy appearance.

“The bag is three layers thick,” he said. “By that time it’s a pretty sturdy bag, and they put tape all over it.”

Another scam involves a shoplifter buying a few articles of clothing, then dropping more clothes into the bag. Some crooks work as a team, he said, with one distracting the salesclerk while the other drops merchandise into the bag. Two shoplifters were recently caught in this scheme in Westminster, Boyd said.

Another major holiday crime problem is a form of check kiting in which a person artificially inflates the size of his checking accounts.

“Someone will open a new account with about $100. Then, using starter checks [from the account], that person goes to another bank to start another account,” said Anaheim Det. Werner Raes, who handles forgery cases. “They go from bank to bank to bank. It’s an old scam that’s probably been around since the ‘50s.”

Raes said one new scheme involves people who use long-range cameras and binoculars to glean shoppers’ automated teller machine access codes.

Police officers deal with other holiday mall problems beyond crime. Sometimes, they have to referee fights between motorists trying to use the same parking space. They are also called on to reunite lost children with their families.

“Unattended baby strollers and lost children is a big problem,” said Santa Ana Police Lt. Dave Petko, who is in charge of the department’s detail at the MainPlace mall. “Teach children to meet at designated areas. Kids are going to gravitate toward the toys.”

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Holiday Shopping Safety / Ways to keep the holidays safe and enjoyable while shopping:

DO:

* Shop with friends or relatives, especially at night.

* Carry packages and purses close to your body.

* Deter pickpockets and purse snatchers--carry your wallet in front pants pocket

* Use a fanny pack or backpack for valuables.

* When returning to your car, have your keys in hand, ready to unlock your vehicle.

DON’T:

* Be overburdened. Go to your car to drop off packages now and then.

* Carry large sums of cash. Carry only the credit cards you’ll need that day. Make sure you get your credit card or driver’s license back after making a purchase.

* Get distracted. Parents maneuvering a stroller through a crowded mall while juggling packages and trying to keep other children under control are easy targets for thieves and child snatchers.

IN THE PARKING LOT:

* Never honk or get into a shouting match with another motorist over who gets a parking space.

* If you have a large car or truck, avoid parking in narrow spaces where you might scratch or block the cars next to you.

* You usually save time parking in the first empty space you find rather than circling around for a place closer to an entrance.

* Shop in the morning, when stores open, for a closer, safer parking spot.

* Lock your car and store valuables in the trunk.

* Give only to who you know are legitimate.

* If someone is loitering near your vehicle, return to the mall and ask for assistance.

* Look inside your vehicle to be sure no one is hiding in the front or back seat.

* Be wary of strangers. If someone stops you or calls you over to a car, walk away quickly.Report suspicious people to mall security.

WHEN SHOPPING WITH KIDS

* Do your shopping in small increments.

* Tell children what to do if they get lost. Tell young children to inform a security officer or store clerk with a name badge. Instruct them never to leave the mall with anyone, even if that person says he or she is going to take them to their parents.

* Arrange to meet in a designated place if anyone in your group gets separated.

* Arrange for a baby sitter and take only one child shopping at a time.

Sources: National Assn. of Chiefs of Police; Ballston Common Mall Alexandria, Va.; Researched by JANICE JONES DODDS/Los Angeles Times