HOUSTON – Houston Police and several area retailers are sending out a reminder to all Houstonians as the holiday shopping season approaches.
In a news conference on Monday, Finner sent out a warning to criminals.
“We’re going to have a lot of officers out here, seen and unseen, uniformed and plain clothes, working these areas, retails some of our malls,” he said. “If you want to come out and commit a crime, you’re probably going to find yourself in jail.”
Safety tips:
- If you’re getting cash out from an ATM, leave as soon as you get it. A robber could come behind you and take it if you stay longer. Also, do not go home if you believe someone is following you after visiting the bank or an ATM. Instead, head to the nearest police station.
- Leaving weapons inside your vehicle: Chief Finner says over 3,600 firearms were stolen out of vehicles in Houston. He adds that the city is on track to surpass that number so far.
- Remove valuables. Even if it’s a simple backpack, it may mean nothing to some people, but to a possible thief, they’re willing to break the window to get a look at it.
- When leaving a store, do not use your phone. Finner says a would-be robber could be watching and following you.