Amarillo police share safety tips for holiday shoppers, travelers

The Amarillo Police Department (APD) is sharing some safety tips for last-minute shoppers this holiday season to keep any potential Grinches away.

Following Cyber Monday, APD reiterates its message shared earlier on its social media, urging the public to be aware of porch pirates. According to APD Public Information Officer Carmela Ogden, the size or colors of the packages often don't matter to the thieves; they are often just looking for a easy way to grab and go.

To counter these holiday thefts, some added precautions that online shoppers can do to protect their items include collecting the package as soon as it is delivered to your home, or ordering items to be delivered at a different location where it can be picked later, up such as in store, your place of work or the local sheriff's departments.

"We do know that a lot of these porch pirates, they see a Fed Ex truck, UPS truck, and they follow those as they drop off packages, and that is their scheme. We just recommend that people do whatever they can to keep those packages off their porch," Ogden said.

For those traveling this holiday season, it is recommended to have a trusted neighbor or friend pick up the packages dropped off to your home until you return. Ogden also shared that for those who have already completed their holiday shopping but will be traveling this Christmas, it is important to refrain from posting anything on social media stating information about your travels and to refrain from posting images with your Christmas tree and presents in the background. This combination of information could lead some holiday travelers' homes to be targeted by potential thieves this season.

When shopping in-person, Ogden recommends that when visiting multiple stores to place any item of worth in a covered trunk or hidden within the vehicle to prevent onlookers from breaking into your vehicle to retrieve those items. Shoppers are also reminded to lock their doors every time they leave their vehicle to enter a store, and park in a well lit area at all times.

For those seeking the perfect Christmas deal online, on the phone, or via social media platforms such as on Facebook Market Place, Ogden urges shoppers to be aware of scams.

"This time of the year with many seeking a deal, you have to remember: If it's too good to be true, it's probably a scam," Ogden said.

Ogden said that to recognize a scam, shoppers should be wary of any suspicious links, anything urging immediate action, or anything requiring you to send money to receive something for "free." In addition to this, when making in-person deals with an unknown party, police note it is always recommended to do the exchange during the day when possible, in a busy area, or in an area that you know is regularly monitored.

Ogden said that if anyone is ever unsure if an advertisement might be a scam to contact APD, where officials can then determine the validity of the offer.

"I think in the times where we are now, where money is tight, many of these offers sound very inviting, but you don't want to risk that security. So, I welcome any calls. We can check it out and tell you if that is a scam or not. In the meantime, you definitely don't want to click on any embedded links on email communications because that is a way to get compromised," Ogden said.

Leading up to and following Christmas, it is recommended for online shoppers to be aware of the boxes that they dispose of in the trash, as sometimes an individual can target a home through the mailing address on multiple boxes. To prevent this, residents can remove the labels on their packages that show their home address before disposing of the packaging.

To stay up to date with APD, follow them on their social media. For any holiday shopping safety questions, contact APD at (806) 378-3038.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Police holiday safety tips include avoiding porch pirates, thieves