Foiling Criminals Over the Holidays

Crooks love Christmas, too.
All of those bright-colored presents under the tree … and the people off to yet another concert, play or party. Packages arriving by delivery almost daily, placed on the porch for easy snatching. Houses standing empty, as people head off to Mammoth or Hawaii or points beyond to enjoy a stretch of vacation.
The San Marino Police Department is urging residents to exercise caution in the coming days to avoid being the victim of a crime that could sap all the joy out of the holidays. Chief John Incontro offered several tips:
• If you have a Christmas tree in the front window, close the draperies or shutters when you leave, so as not to tempt burglars with all the bounty wrapped beneath the tree.
• If you plan to give gift cards or cash, lock those up in a safe before you hand them out. Burglars look for such envelopes at this time of year. “And don’t keep the combination of the safe anywhere in your house,” Incontro said. “Don’t put it on the picture above the safe. Don’t write it on the door frame. Don’t make it easy.”
• When out Christmas shopping, lock gifts in the trunk of the car. “Putting a blanket over a big, bulky pile in the back seat is not going to fool anybody,” the chief said.
• When arranging for the delivery of packages, consider having them shipped to your place of employment (if that is allowed) rather than left unattended on your porch. Another option is to have them shipped to the house of a neighbor, friend or relative who is going to be home. At the very least, ask the shipping company to place the package behind a wall or some other place that is out of sight from the road. Finally, monitor the tracking of the package and call the shipping company and/or the retailer if it does not show up when scheduled. The Police Department should be notified if theft is suspected.
• San Marino has experienced an increase in residential burglaries this year. Residents are urged to lock doors, latch windows and activate alarm systems when leaving home, even if for a short period. Anyone who plans to be away for a vacation trip should consider signing up for the SMPD’s Housewatch Program, which costs $5 per day. Officers will stop by the house periodically and watch for suspicious activity. Call (626) 300-0720 to make arrangements with the SMPD.
• This is also prime time for telephone scams. Do not give out personal information to someone posing as a representative from your credit card company, phone provider, cable company or a utility. Do not provide your birth date, account numbers and especially not your Social Security number. Hang up and call the company on its main line to determine if it has been trying to reach you.
Finally, Incontro said, be alert for something that just doesn’t look right, and don’t be silent about it.
“See something, say something,” the chief urged. “If you see someone walking around a parking lot peering into cars, notify mall security. In your neighborhood, maybe it’s, ‘Gosh, I don’t think I’ve ever seen that person around here before.’ Or, ‘Why has that guy circled the block two times?’ Notify us. Don’t worry about it. You’re doing the right thing. It could be completely innocent or it could be someone trying to commit a crime.”