Don’t Allow the ‘Grinch’ to Steal Christmas

Let’s talk about a crime of opportunity during the holidays and how to deter the Grinch. This is a crime/theft that is committed without planning because the Grinch sees that he has the chance to commit the act at that moment and seizes it. He just takes advantage of the situation without any advanced planning.

We are, in fact, in luck. Based on crime stats, summer is considered the time of year when we offer the Grinch the most freedom to “grab and go” because we are out and about, windows are open, vacation time and we have a revolving door that is unlocked. 

Obviously, that is not likely to be the case in November, December and January: however, the holiday season is the second highest snatching time of year when it comes to package theft. 

I was recently told a story about an experience that happened to my cousin. She was at a gas station pumping gas with her back facing the driver’s side door. She realized her car began moving – with the nozzle still in the tank! She freaked, pulled the nozzle out, all the while thinking to herself “Oh, my goodness! Did I not put my car in park?” It turns out that she did have the car in park, but left the driver’s side door open and was not paying attention. The Grinch slid on into her car and slowly pulled away, leaving my cousin standing there in shock with a gas nozzle in her hand and mind still in denial. 

Here are some very common mistakes and a few ways we can deter the Grinch from finding his way to us this year. 

Santa’s NICE List

• Consider shopping online, so you can avoid the holiday buying rush. Or order delivery to your home or the store’s parking lot. You’d be surprised how many things you can get without going into a physical store. 
• Do not leave your car or home unlocked.
• Do not leave your purse or phone on the seat of your car.
• Be aware of “gift giving aka donation” scams. 
• Park in well lit and secure parking lots. Next to the entrance is always a plus, and if there’s a cart parking contraption, park your driver’s door right next to it. Think about it – you only have one real side with doors exposed.
• Shop with a friend.
• Place all of your packages in the trunk of your car or cover under a blanket so they are not visible to the Grinch. 
• Keep your car “clutter free” of backpacks, gym bags, etc. You may have nothing important in them, but the Grinch does not know that. 
• Avoid showing your wallet, especially cash, when paying for items. 
• Shopping alone? Do not wear expensive jewelry.
• Avoid super crowded areas. Pickpockets love the holidays. 
• Avoid using headphones, earbuds, ear phones, etc., when in public. You can’t hear danger approaching. 
• Stay aware of your surroundings, be confident and walk with a purpose. It is very important to do this in the public areas where you are most comfortable because that is when your guard will be down and you minimize threat warnings. This is called “normalcy bias.” 
• Intuition telling you something? Trust it! Listen to it!
• If you see anyone acting suspicious, or you feel threatened in any way, get to a safe place and call 911.

You have probably heard me say that you don’t pick the day, time or place that you will be a victim of a crime, the Grinch does, so let’s try to deter him from seeing us as a holiday target.