TIPS FOR SAFE SHOPPING AND CELEBRATING

Springfield, TN, November 22, 2017– The holiday season is upon us once again. The Robertson County Sheriff’s Office would like to wish everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving. To ensure everyone’s safety, we will be out looking for those that choose to put you at risk by drinking and driving. If you see a suspected drunk driver, please call Central Dispatch at (615) 384-4911.

As we enter the holiday season, we also enter prime season for thieves and burglars. They know that people are doing a lot of shopping and they seize on these opportunities. Remember that while you are out shopping:

1) Try to park and walk in well-lit areas of store parking lots;

2) Try to exit the store at the same time as others because thieves like to prey when no one else is around;

3) Make sure your car doors are locked – thieves look for the easiest target and those are usually vehicles with unlocked doors;

4) Place packages in your trunk if possible, and if not, cover them or try to keep them out of plain view of a thief passing by.

Also, remember to keep your home locked while you are away to help deter any would-be burglars from stealing your purchases. Finally, be mindful of how you dispose of the empty packaging of gifts you receive. For example, do not put an empty big screen TV box out by the curb for garbage pickup. This serves as a large advertisement to burglars that you have a nice, new television available to be stolen.

“Our priority is to ensure that our citizens have a safe and happy holiday season – whether that’s keeping impaired drivers off the road or educating everyone on how to avoid being a victim of theft, the goal remains the same,” said Chief Deputy Michael Van Dyke.

“We remind everyone of these tips each year to inform our citizens of steps they can take to protect themselves. We want you to have a much better holiday season than the criminals, and using these bits of information can help you do just that.”