5 Tips For Safe Holiday Shopping

November 14, 2018

With the holiday season upon us, our schedules promise to be even more hectic than ever. Here are 5 tips from the Office of Constable Ted Heap, Harris County Precinct 5 to keep you and your loved ones safe while enjoying the holiday.

1. Don't leave valuables in an unoccupied vehicle. It's said time and time again, but car burglary is a crime of opportunity. Most often the victims of vehicle burglaries had left their vehicles unsecured or a valuable item inside the vehicle. Value is in the eye of the beholder, what may not be valuable to you may be worth the risk to a criminal. Also, remember to take your key fob with you, as most modern cars have remote entry features that rely on the presence of the fob.

2. Photograph the boxes of items you purchase. Keeping track of item models and serial numbers may seem unnecessary, but as we saw with Hurricane Harvey, there are a multitude of reasons to document your property, such as theft, flood or loss. Before you toss the box this holiday season, snap a picture of the model and serial number. Then, remember to break down boxes - electronics packaging is a great advertisement for thieves.

3. Share your location. There are a multitude of phone apps that keep us more in the loop than ever before. Before you and your loved ones go out for the night, on a trip, or to the mall, have a plan in place to know where everyone is. Many people use smart phone features such as Share My Location to let loved ones know where they are and, most importantly, that they are safe.

4. Look for the "S". Another tech tip for the holiday is to look at the website URL when purchasing an item online. If the URL does not start with https:// (emphasis on the “s”) then the site may not be secure. If you ever are in doubt about a website’s security, try calling the store to verify, or head out to a local retailer. More often than not, retailers will match online pricing so you don't have to worry about compromising your information.

5. When in doubt, call it out. Sometimes we see things that make us go, "Hmm..." If you're ever in doubt of your security or the well-being of someone else, don't hesitate to call the authorities. Listed below are the non-emergency numbers for all of the local law enforcement entities in our area. We'd rather you call and not need us than need us and not call us! If it's an emgency, please call 9-1-1.

Have a safe and happy holiday season, y'all.

Important Phone Numbers

Houston Police

713-884-3131

Harris County Constable 5

281-463-6666

Harris County Sheriff

713-221-6000

Spring Valley Police

713-465-8323

Bunker Hill Police

713-365-3700

 

 

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