The holiday season is a time for joy! It is also a time to be wary of the holiday scrooges who are out to ruin the holiday season by burglarizing homes, pick pocketing, and thievery. Unfortunately, burglars view the holiday season a little differently…for them, it is a time of opportunity to burglarize your home for cash, credit cards, gifts, and other valuables. Nothing can spoil the holiday season faster than becoming the victim of a crime.

The following tips will help promote an enjoyable holiday season without incident.

• Always lock windows and doors when you leave your home or apartment, even if only for a few minutes.

• Shop with a companion whenever possible. (The chance of being victimized drops dramatically.)

• If shopping at night, try to park in well-lit areas.

• Don’t be overburdened with packages (Carrying several shopping bags makes you look vulnerable. If a store cannot hold your merchandise until you finish shopping, place all purchases out of plain view or in the trunk of your car. If you leave the store to take packages to your vehicle, and your shopping isn’t done, relocate your vehicle to a different part of the parking lot.)

• Carry only what you need (Keep your purse in front and close to your body. Men should keep their cash/wallets in their front pocket.)

• Be aware of your surroundings at all times. (Know who and what is around you to avoid being caught unaware. It also allows you time to react if something does appear suspicious.)

• Check your vehicle exterior/interior before entering and exiting the vehicle.

• Locate your keys prior to going to your car and use the alarm or alert button to signal if something is wrong.

• Keep all car doors locked and windows closed while in or out of your car. Set your alarm or use an anti-theft device.

• Do NOT post to your social media account that you will be out of town! (Bad guys love to hear that they have plenty of time to break in and completely ransack your home.)

• Trust your instincts (If you have an intuitive feeling something is wrong or suspicious, react immediately and take action to reduce your risk of becoming a victim.)

The Vicksburg Police Dept. is a member of Crime Stoppers. Crime Stoppers will pay a reward for any information about a crime that leads to an arrest. If you or someone you know has any information about a crime please call 601-355-8477 or 1-888-827-4637.

• Display confidence. (Criminals choose a victim who looks like the easiest target.)

• Ask a friend or neighbor to periodically stop by your home to pick up mail, piled up newspapers, or flyers hanging on the door knob. (This will keep burglars from knowing you have not been home in several days.

• Invest in timers for lighting. (Burglars look for occupancy cues like outdoor lights burning 24 hours a day. Lights that stay on for long periods of time convey to burglars that you are away from the home for an extended amount of time.)

• Always remember to arm your residential alarm when leaving the home.

• Do not leave descriptive telephone answering machine messages announcing that you are or will be out of town. (This lets burglars know when the best time to come into your home would be during the holidays.)

• After Christmas day, don’t pile up empty gift boxes from your new electronic devices for the garbage pick-up. Break down or cut the boxes up to conceal the items better. (Burglars appreciate you advertising that you have expensive gifts inside for them to steal.)

Do not hesitate to call 911 immediately if you feel threatened or you are victimized.

The holiday season, for many, is a time to celebrate. For some, this may involve planning or attending parties, family gatherings, or work related events. If you are travelling this holiday season, Be Responsible! Drinking and driving is never a good idea.

In an effort to keep the citizens of Warren County safe this holiday season, the Vicksburg Police Department will begin this weekend increasing manpower to safeguard the city. My department will utilize all available off-duty officers to work overtime throughout the holiday season in the name of safety! Citizens of Warren County can expect to see random road blocks as well as saturated patrols throughout the city. The Vicksburg Police Department will utilize plain clothed officers as well as uniformed officers in marked and unmarked cars this holiday season.

The following tips will help promote safe driving this holiday season.

• The best avoidance plan is utilized before the first drink!

• Choose a designated driver before the evening begins.

• Buckle Up, it’s the law. Take necessary safety measures that will keep you safe during the holidays.

• Always remember… Safety First!

• Utilize your local taxi or cab service. (Avoid driving on a night you plan to drink alcohol.)

• When planning a party, offer non-alcoholic beverages.

• Eat/Serve plenty of food. (A full stomach can slow the rate of alcohol absorption.)

• Stop alcohol consumption several hours before the party ends.

• Collect keys from guests attending the party. (This will allow you to see every guest leaving to assess whether they should get behind the wheel of an automobile.)

• Arrange alternate transportation. (Be attentive to guest alcohol intake and consumption just in case the need to call a cab or alternate mode of transportation for a guest is necessary.)

• Intervene if someone consumes too much alcohol and plans to drive. (You could save a life!)

Remember, these tips are only helpful when put into practice … on behalf of the Vicksburg Police Department, have a safe, joyous, and memorable holiday season.

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L. Walter Armstrong is Chief of the Vicksburg Police Department and can be reached by phone at 601-636-2511