Shoppers crowd the stores this season, and in the press of
people, sometimes purses and wallets are stolen, even presents, but
’tis the season also for auto burglaries and shoplifting, making
spirits not so bright.
MORGAN HILL
Shoppers crowd the stores this season, and in the press of people, sometimes purses and wallets are stolen, even presents, but ’tis the season also for auto burglaries and shoplifting, making spirits not so bright.
Unfortunately, the season for giving is also the season for taking. According to police, criminals cruise parking lots looking for packages, purses and small electronics left in plain view in vehicles. In stores, thieves look for handbags left in shopping carts while their owner’s attention is elsewhere.
Many stores hire extra loss prevention officers during the season to combat shoplifting and thieves stealing from their customers, but Morgan Hill police say common sense can keep residents from being victims of “the Grinch.”
“A little bit of extra vigilance about personal belongings this time of year will go a long way towards keeping the holiday season happier, keeping control of your possessions,” said Morgan Hill police Cmdr. David Swing. “Typically, these types of crimes are opportunistic in nature. Thieves will see an opportunity, knowing it only takes a few minutes to break a window, reach in and grab someone’s belongings. Keeping purses, GPS, laptops and gifts out of sight will prevent many of those thefts from occurring.”
Morgan Hill police officers are circulating in shopping center parking lots, on the lookout for would-be thieves. The best defense for residents, said Swing, is to remember not to leave valuables in vehicles.
“If you do, lock them in the trunk so they are not visible to anyone looking in vehicles,” he said.
This time of year, many people are more-than-usually busy and may become careless, but officers caution that shoppers need to be more vigilant, not less.
“Leaving a purse in your car, an iPod or a cell phone on a seat, may be all the invitation a thief needs to break in,” Swing said.
The MHPD and the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office also want to remind Morgan Hill residents about the increase in auto theft this time of the year.
With cold morning temperatures, people often leave their vehicles running to warm up in the driveway or on the street before leaving for work, and when they come out of their home, their vehicle is gone. Sometimes people leave their keys in the vehicle, even if it’s not running, to drop off or pick up children, to run an errand and a criminal takes advantage of the situation.
“Again, it’s a crime of opportunity,” Swing said. “Thieves cruise neighborhoods, either with someone else in a vehicle or on foot by themselves, looking for that white exhaust that’s coming out of a car when it’s warming up, and it doesn’t take long for them to hop inside and drive away, even if the car is locked, they can get in quickly.”
Last year, during the month of December, there were eight auto burglaries and 29 petty thefts in Morgan Hill.
PREVENTING HOLIDAY CRIME
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Lock up vehicles, both at home and when out
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If packages or valuables must be left in vehicles, store them in the trunk or out of sight
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Park in well-lighted areas if shopping after dark
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Do not leave purses and packages in a shopping cart
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Do not “warm up” vehicles by leaving them running unattended
