Enjoy Christmas, thwart criminals

By James R. Campbell

Nevada Daily Mail

The euphoria associated with Christmas may cause people to be less cautious than usual; and that may bring bad results, because the season also draws legions of criminals looking to prey on the unsuspecting.

It may seem antithetical to the Christmas spirit to take all the precautions suggested by police, but that spirit will be sadly discouraged if someone smashes a car window and steals all the presents the owner's purchased or breaks into a home and robs the holiday tree.

Or if a burglar cruising alleyways notices from the discarded box that there is a big screen TV in the home, which is currently unoccupied because the owner is out shopping again.

Nevada Police Officer John Foster, his department's federally funded Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving (COPPS) officer, has a checklist of safety measures that he says may save local folks from a monetary loss and an even worse emotional drubbing.

Scheduled to host a Neighborhood Watch seminar at 6 p.m., Dec. 13, in Nevada City Council Chambers, Foster said an officer will visit Nevada homes and make suggestions for those who call (417) 448-2710 and make that request.

"Always lock your vehicle and make sure your residence is secure before you leave," Foster said Tuesday.

"Don't leave your valuables visible in your car when you go shopping, because there is only an eighth of an inch of glass separating the bad guys and the gifts; and it takes three seconds for someone to 'smash and grab' on a vehicle.

"Put your valuables in the trunk, under the seats or in the storage compartments that some of the newer vans have. Park in well-lighted areas under street lights or parking lot lights," he said.

At home, consumers shouldn't place presents or Christmas trees in front of the windows and should not put the original packages outside where they're visible, because criminals often cruise the alleys to look for indications of which houses to target, Foster said.

"Unless you recycle, always tear down the boxes and put them in trashbags," he said. "You don't want to advertise what's there to burglars looking for a crime of opportunity."

Another recommended safeguard is motion-activated lights. which are available for as little as $10 at Walmart and ;.

"They are inexpensive security devices that act well as a deterrent," he said.