To Stay Ahead, Leave Pack Behind

Get that pack off your fanny and pull the bag off your back. That’s the Los Angeles Police Department’s advice for a safe, theft-free shopping season.

“[Despite] feelings of holiday goodwill and such, you have the criminal element out there seizing on those good feelings and stealing all your valuables,” warns LAPD media relations officer Lt. Anthony Alba. Zippered backpacks and fanny packs have a sorry history of being “easily accessed” by thieves who know you can’t see--or often, feel--what’s happening behind you, Alba says.

To foil the bad guys (and gals--pickpocketing is an equal opportunity pursuit), Alba suggests leaving purses and bulging wallets at home.

“If you can shop with just a credit card, carry only the card. At the most, you should only carry cash, an ID and a credit card in a front pocket or other place that’s hard for a thief to get into,” Alba says.

And if you’re shopping alone at a big mall, give yourself a present--let the valet park and fetch your car. It’s no luxury if it’s for safety’s sake.