The holidays mean something different to Mike Rutherford than to most people.
"It never fails. In the 43 years I've been a police officer, every year we have an uptick in car break-ins, home break-ins and robberies of convenience stores and other types (of businesses)," said Rutherford, chief deputy for the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department.
He noted that more people are out and about shopping at this time of year, and packages are more likely to be left sitting on door steps or in vehicles.
"It's just a good time for thieves and it's a good time to keep a mindful eye that people are out there that are not willing to work sometimes and want to feed off of other people's money and gifts," he said.
Rutherford said sometimes thieves are stealing to support a drug habit, as is common other times of year, although sometimes they say they are stealing to purchase holiday gifts for their families.
At a media event Wednesday morning, the sheriff's department provided several tips for reducing the risk of becoming a victim.
- When leaving purses and packages inside of vehicles while holiday shopping, keep them covered up and out of sight so potential thieves looking through vehicle windows can't see them.
- Walk in well-lit areas of parking lots and try to stay in areas where people tend to congregate. Carry your car keys in case you need to use them in self-defense, or to draw attention to yourself by setting off your car alarm.
- Keep small children in sight while shopping and accompany them to the restroom. "Don't let them out of your sight because there are a lot of people out," Rutherford said. "It's easy for the kids to get kind of lost in the crowd."
- While pickpocketing is not a major problem like it is in bigger cities, it does occur, Rutherford said. He suggested keeping long purses closer to the upper body and only carrying how much money you need.
- Keep shades drawn so potential criminals can't see Christmas packages next to the tree. Electronics are especially popular stolen items, Rutherford said. However, don't let shrubbery grow and block your windows because then neighbors and the police can't see the windows. Sometimes thieves hide behind shrubbery and trees to break into windows undetected.
- If you've ordered a package that is to arrive during the day, arrange to have it delivered to your work or a neighbor or family member's, rather than allow it to sit outside.
The sheriff's office can sometimes track pawned gifts, but Rutherford urged residents to take steps to prevent the theft in the first place.
"Yes we are able to track down a lot of stuff, some stuff honestly no," he said.
Rutherford also said the sheriff's office will be stepping up DUI patrols over Thanksgiving and will be increasing patrols in shopping areas during the holiday season.
Reach Erin Beck at erin.beck@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5163, Facebook.com/erinbeckwv, or follow @erinbeckwv on Twitter.