Take extra care to prevent crime at Christmastime, police advise

Many would-be burglars are afraid of bright lights, police say.

STAFF REPORT

When you go over the river and through the woods to grandma’s house for Christmas, make sure your place is not a burglary waiting to happen.

While you’re away visiting, consider a house sitter, maybe a neighborhood teenager eager to earn some money, said Detective Sgt. Charles Swanson, Crime Stoppers of Greater Youngstown coordinator.

If no house sitter is available, leave a radio or TV on, playing fairly loudly, but not loudly enough to disturb your neighbors, he said. If you’re away more than a day, make sure someone gets your mail and newspaper.

“Criminals, like bats and rats, come out at night. They don’t like lights, so always leave lights on inside and outside,” he said. “Most burglaries occur during the day when people are at work, but Christmas is different. We have a lot of burglaries right before and right after Christmas.”

He said light timers are a good idea, and also leaving lights on in “odd” rooms, such as bedrooms. Everyone, he said, leaves the light on over the kitchen sink, and burglars know it.

For those who put wrapped gifts under the tree before Christmas, it’s a good idea to shut the drapes in that room before you go out, the detective said.

Also, he said don’t change an answering machine message to say you’re away for the holidays.

If making several stops Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to drop off gifts, start out with them all in the trunk of your vehicle, Swanson said. If there’s no trunk, in SUVs for example, cover the items with a blanket.

If there’s a portable GPS navigation device such as Garmin or Tom Tom in your car, put it in the glove box or trunk. Thieves walking by profit from crimes of opportunity such as exposed valuables, he said.

After Christmas, don’t advertise that you got a digital camera, flat-screen TV or top-of-the-line computer by leaving the box at the curb for trash pickup. Instead, cut the boxes up and place the pieces in a dark-colored trash bag, he said.

“That’s the No. 1 crime prevention tip,” Swanson said. “You don’t want criminals to see what you got for Christmas.”