As the holidays approach, many people are immersed in holiday celebrations, and it is easy to overlook simple safety precautions. The Grove City Police Department would like to remind citizens of some holiday safety tips to help ensure a safe and enjoyable holiday.

If you are shopping... • Pay attention to your surroundings. Look around. • Park your car in a well-lit area and make sure to lock your car. Do not leave shopping bags or wallets in conspicuous places in the car. • If you are worried about the people around your car, please do not approach your car alone. • Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. Whenever possible, pay by check or credit card. • Never provide a credit card number unless you initiate a purchase. • Hold the wallet close to your body. Don't put the wallet horizontally on your body, put the wallet on one shoulder. Put your wallet in the inner or front trouser pocket. • Teach your child to find a store clerk or security guard if they are lost or separated. • Watch out for strangers approaching you for any reason. Scammers use festive generosity to distract you with intent to steal. It is not uncommon for criminals to come to solicit customers and ask for donations from false charities. • Do not leave purchased items in the car. If you need to stop multiple times during the shopping process, please keep your items and valuables out of sight. Put the items in the suitcase and keep them hidden.

If you shop online... • Be wary of emails from unfamiliar sources. Unrealistic discounts may be a phishing scheme used to obtain your personal information. • Know who you are buying from. Stick to well-known companies and search for customer reviews before ordering. • Watch out for packages that are expected to arrive, and watch out for pirates on the porch. Consider buying a home camera system or using package delivery lockers (such as those provided by Amazon or UPS). You can also ask the delivery driver to place the package in an invisible place during delivery. • If you purchase online from sites such as Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, please consider using one of Grove City's Internet purchase exchange areas. If you go out at night... • Turn on the lights and the radio or TV so that it looks like someone is at home. • Lock doors and windows carefully, even if you are away for a short time. • Do not place gifts or high-priced items at home to avoid seeing them from the outside.

If you are going out of town... • Fill out the home safety inspection application form online or visit the safety center, 3360 Park Street; the form is available in the lobby. When you are away, the Grove City Police Department will inspect your home. • Stop your mail and newspapers or ask neighbors to collect them for you. • Tell a trusted neighbor that you will be out of town. Ask them to report any suspicious activity to the police immediately.

After the holidays... it's fun to share happiness; but be cautious. Don’t promote gifts received during the holidays. This includes sharing on social media sites. Avoid putting boxes of high-priced items on the side of the road on garbage days, and put them in recycling bins for recycling. If you must put them on the side of the road, disassemble the boxes and turn them over so that passers-by cannot see the labels.

Many programs can be used to educate and prevent illegal activities. Please visit the Grove City Division of Police website grovecityohio.gov/division-of-police/ for crime alerts, trends and tips.

For more information about other crime prevention programs, please call 614-277-1765.

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