How to stay safe in South Cobb this holiday season

Christmas is just around the corner, and this weekend, plenty of last-minute shoppers will be out and about to purchase their final gifts.

Cobb County Police Sgt. Dana Pierce offers tips to stay safe while shopping and while away from home this holiday season.

Cobb police are seeing an increase in auto break-ins, and according to an e-mail from the Precinct 2 PENS bulletin, "burglary remains the highest reported crime for Precinct 2."

Shopping Crime Prevention

"People are driven and are not paying attention to the environment around them," Sgt. Dana Pierce, Cobb County Police public information officer, explained about the increase of thefts during the holiday season.

One of the best ways to keep personal items from being stolen is to hide them out of plain sight while shopping.

Pierce said, the majority of their entering auto incidents is a result of thieves simply flipping unlocked car door handles after seeing something they feel is worth stealing.

Because of this, he advises that shoppers put any valuable items in the car trunk and always lock the car doors.

When purchasing items, "always make periodic dropoffs between stores and not one big drop," Pierce said.

Also, try not to bring a great deal of cash or items that will not be used for shopping, like specific credit cards or a social security card.

"Don't carry what you're not willing to lose," Pierce advised, adding that it's best to "carry small amounts of cash, one or two credit cards, and the rest, leave at home."

As stated in the e-mail, "Also, be aware when buying electronics. Thieves will watch you! Do not buy a laptop at an electronics store then leave it in your car while you eat supper."

Pierce said it is always best to give a thief what he or she demands, especially if the thief is armed.

"Don't take a crime of property and turn it into a crime against a person," Pierce said.

Home Holiday Safety
The number one way to help prevent break-ins while away for the holidays: having a trusted neighbor watch out for your home.

"Have them pick up the mail," Pierce said.

"Make it look like you home is occupied, like it's being lived in," he said.

In order to do this, buy inexpensive timers for lights. Officers can also periodically, at least once a day, check on homes that are put on "zone patrol," which is a police term meaning the zone or area that a certain officer or officers patrols during his or her shift.  When a home is requested to be included in "zone patrol," the officers covering that zone will make sure to check on that home to ensure that it is safe. However, apartments are not included in "zone patrol."