As shoppers gear up for the mayhem of Black Friday in Houston, the local police are dishing out safety advice with a side of vigilance. In a recent press conference as FOX 26 Houston reported, Houston Police Department's Chief Troy Finner was clear about the increased presence you'll see around the shopping frenzy, saying, "There will be increased patrol in and around the shopping areas, unmarked and marked undercover officers."
Ahead of the retail rush, Houston PD is making it known that they've studied the playbook of thieves — since last year, they note an uptick in the customary holiday heist tactics, including a nefarious decoy trick where a thief tells shoppers they've dropped cash, only to swipe their bank cards, ensuring a Thanksgiving weekend that's anything but thankful for victims but, HPD isn't just rolling out more boots on the ground, they’re giving out safety tips: be observant, shop in groups, and skip the flashy designer bags because that bling could call in the wrong crowd while you're diving for deals. "This is a warning to criminals, every year around this time, they get out and try to victimize people and every year around this time, we arrest them, and put them in jail," Finner told FOX 26 Houston, amidst giving out the safety advice.
"People just don't seem to listen," remarked Chief Art Acevedo, in a tone of frustration echoed in a KHOU report, referring to the more than 4,000 car break-ins during the holiday season in previous years. Police have taken to patrolling parking lots, deploying a 'grades' system that involves leaving "report cards" on cars that practically invite burglars with unlocked doors or visible valuables. Over 2,000 guns are pilfered from cars annually; Acevedo warns that a car sticker bragging about gun ownership is essentially rolling out the welcome mat for thieves.
In an effort to keep citizens one step ahead of the criminals, the HPD's advice includes cautionary tales and safety hacks: don't flaunt more cash than you need, keep an eye on your purse, and pick a credit card to carry—just one, in case the unthinkable happens and your wallet winds up in the wrong hands. Acevedo implored Houstonians in the interview with KHOU. "Do not get a false sense of security thinking that people will not break into your cars," he cautioned.
