Holiday Safety Tips

Holiday Safety Tips

By Ron Mullins and Thom Bolsch

The days are getting shorter, the morning cooler. It’s that time of year…

The time each year where we point out a few things to help keep you safe throughout the holiday season.

It bears repeating, the bad guys love the holidays as much as the rest of us; only because it affords them more opportunity for crime.

For those that have been reading our Situation Report for the past several years, some of these tips will be a needed refresher, for some of you – new material. And to start off the season of Thanks Giving – Thank you to all of you; new readers and those that have been with us from the beginning. We appreciate your support and your loyalty to Saddle River Range.

We have segmented the following tips based on the location, activity and age group.

Shopping: Shopping centers and malls are ideal locations for criminals as the environment is “target rich”.

Stay alert and aware of what is happening around you, in the store and in the parking lot
Avoid carrying large amounts of cash: I suggest getting a debit card and limiting the amount loaded on the card. There is no identification information and the loss is limited if stolen.
DO NOT overburden yourself with packages. Keep your purse closed and held tight, not dangling from straps. Guys, put your wallet in your front pocket if carrying stuff for your gal.

At Home: We have all heard of someone being followed home, or having their home burglarized. Some neighborhoods stand out as targets because of the displayed affluence.

When arriving at home be alert for suspicious vehicles on the block. Be alert for strangers approaching you in the drive way or at the front door. Remove hiding spaced, by illuminating shadows.
Not to be alarmist, but someone at the front door may not be whom they seem to be. Criminals do pose as delivery personnel; and those asking for charitable donations may not be representing others in need.
After you open the gifts from your holiday spree, don’t announce your new toys to the world by putting the boxes on the front curb for collection. Break down the boxes and bind them. This prevents a bad guy from noticing you have a brand new 70 inch flat screen TV.

Children: It’s an exciting time for the little ones; plenty of colorful lights, and magical sounds and lots and lots of people. It’s easy for you, and them to get distracted and get separated.

It will happen, regardless of the effort you make to prevent it; children will wander off. Teach your children that if they turn around and mommy is not there, they should seek out a store clerk, a security officer, or as a last resort another mommy with children. Play a game with them, and stop on occasion and have them point out a safe person they might approach if you were not with them.
For the older children, have them be mindful of what they post online. Pictures of the house portraying all the stuff under the tree just points out to a criminal where they might want to shop. Also, be especially considerate of posting pictures of grandma and grandpa’s house online.

Winter and the holiday season is a special time of year. With a little thought and attention, you will be rewarded with wonderful memories of a joyous occasion; and the bad guys will end up with coal in their stockings.

Oh, yeah! Don’t forget to load up on stocking stuffers for your family, friends and loved ones. Gift certificates are now available for a new something special, an outing at the range or some instruction for a new shooter or archer. Come in now and load up for the holidays.

Stay Alert, Stay Safe,

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