Every year I see the same news stories at Christmas time. A family had their Tree up and decorated with all the gifts wrapped and piled under the tree. Burglars broke in while no on was home and stole all the gifts.

Another news story is several cars were broke into at the local shopping plaza. Many items were stolen, no suspects were caught.

I have been on the seen to change the locks or install new locks after a burglary occurs. A few times I was called to homes a few days after Christmas. One specific incident stands out. In the early 80’s I still lived in New Jersey. A family purchased a brand-new stereo system. Since the neighborhood was made up of row homes everybody new everybody’s business. I am certain the stereo was shown off to the other neighbors and played long into the night for everyone to hear. Two days after Christmas the whole family piled into the car and went shopping. Someone took the opportunity to break-in and steal the whole stereo system. It is not wise to show off your gifts to large groups of people. Someone in the crowd may want to take your gift for them self.

Many times when I park my car at the mall I will notice the front and back seat of the car next to me. Many times there are shopping bags with merchandise inside. Sometimes there is a purse, or and iPod or cell phone. If I were a thief of opportunity I could have emptied the car and been gone in 60 seconds or less.

If you are going to shop at several stores put your merchandise in the trunk out of sight, out of sight, out of mind. I sell safes under the same principle. The best security a home burglary safe can offer is no one knows you have the safe. If you are broken into and the safe is found chances are the crooks did not come prepared to open a safe. However, if your neighbors know you have a safe, they might tell the pest control guy. The pest control guy might tell his friends at the bar. One of those friends might have another friend in the burglary business, and you just became a target because you have a safe.

I have worked for two elderly women over the years whose purses were snatched, except these women did not let go. Their arms were broken from the violent yank. When they refused to let go they were dragged several feet and beaten until they could hold on no longer. Keep your purse close to your body and try not to isolate yourself from a crowd of people. Both the women I worked for were walking to their cars in the parking lot.

One busy shopping season my wife noticed a man following her along the sidewalk in front of the stores. She noticed the man getting closer. My wife was alone, so she saw a group of people talking in the parking lot and she walked up to them as if she knew them. The would-be purse snatcher kept moving past my wife and disappeared in the crowd.

If you have wrapped gifts at home do not leave them in plain sight. Keep everything hidden until the time you will be exchanging gifts with loved ones. If you have an old alarm that just makes noise, use it. Hearing the 30 second delay of an alarm beeping for the pass code will add stress to the thief. Dogs are great deterrents also. Let Fido roam the house and have access to every window and door.

Your first line of defense any time of year is good locks on your home. Thieves like easy targets. If breaking-in takes too long the thief will most likely give up on your home and rob your neighbor.

Be mindful of your surroundings and don’t give a thief an opportunity to rob you.

I wish all of you a wonderful Christ filled holiday and New Year!

Jeff Gater, CML