As you rush to prepare food, shop for gifts and pack for travel during the holidays, it's easy to become distracted and careless.
However, a lack of attention may create an opportunity for a criminal to strike. Thefts are common during the holiday season. 
Help protect yourself, your family and your home with these tips from the <a href="[BASEDOMAIN]/healthinfo/bouncelink.aspx?shortcut=crimeprev" target="_blank">National Crime Prevention Council</a>. 
When you travel 
<ul>
 <li>Stop mail delivery. </li>
 <li>Have a friend or neighbor watch your house and park in the driveway occasionally. </li>
 <li>Put indoor lights on timers.</li>
</ul>
When you're gone for the evening 
<ul>
 <li>Make sure all doors and windows are locked. </li>
 <li>Leave lights and a radio or TV on so that it looks like someone's home. </li>
 <li>Display gifts away from windows or doors so they can't be seen from outside the house. </li>
</ul>
When you're shopping 
<ul>
 <li>Park in a well-lit area. Close all windows, lock your doors, and put any packages or bags in the trunk. </li>
 <li>Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. Pay with a credit card instead.</li>
 <li>Teach your children to go to a store clerk or security guard if they are separated from you. </li>
 <li>Carry your purse close to your body, not dangling by the straps. Put a wallet in an inside coat pocket or front pants pocket. </li>
 <li>Avoid carrying too many packages at once. </li>
 <li>Stay alert and aware of what's going on around you.</li>
</ul>
When answering the door 
<ul>
 <li>Ask for identification. Criminals sometimes pose as delivery people. </li>
 <li>Avoid giving money to charity groups soliciting door-to-door. Sometimes there is no charity involved. Make charitable donations to organizations you know about instead.</li>
</ul>
Home inventory 
Keep an inventory of items in your home. It will make filling out an insurance claim easier if your home is burglarized. 
Take pictures and make a detailed list of items such as TVs, DVD players, video game systems, jewelry, computers and other valuables. Include serial numbers. Update your list on a regular basis, but especially before the holidays. 
Reviewed 7/25/2023

Protect yourself from crime this holiday season

Take time during the hustle and bustle to ensure that you and your home are safe from crime.