Police department to be extra observant during holiday season
Advises residents to be alert at all times
Although the Grinch is mostly known as a fictional character the legendary Dr. Seuss created back in the mid-1950s, there are, unfortunately, many real-life grinches roaming around the city who don’t mind stealing everyone’s Christmas presents.
Holiday thefts are an unpleasant reality that has prompted the Porterville Police Department to be extra vigilant to ensure everyone can have a fun and safe Christmas.
Porterville Police Administrative Sgt. Rick Carrillo said most crimes during this time of the year are done impetuously by even the most cautious of criminals.
“A lot of it is crime of opportunity on the hands of suspects,” said Carrillo, adding that the most common scenario he hears about is someone leaving items in their car that can be seen at a glance. “We ask people to remain cognizant of their surroundings and we can’t preach it enough that you don’t leave valuables in your car and don’t leave bags in your car because from the outside a crook could believe it is something worth breaking your window to get and regardless of what it was, you are already out of $500 for a window replacement.”
Carrillo said criminals around this time of the year often commit crimes randomly, but noted that if the department does see a trend it will adjust its staffing accordingly.
“There isn’t a specific window of time during the day or night that we are conscious of, but we add staffing during the busiest shopping hours of the season,” Carrillo said.
He said the times residents should really be alert are during the weekends and on holidays such as Christmas and New Year’s, a day Carrillo said officers are in full force.
“Our traffic unit is out looking for potential intoxicated drivers and our patrol units are staffed very heavily that night,” Carrillo said, noting that, historically, there has been a lot of gunfire by people firing guns in the air at parties and gatherings. They are also making more frequent passes through shopping centers.
Carrillo said residents should also be aware of online theft, especially when purchasing items to be delivered to their home.
“We have seen a lot of talk on the national media about packages being stolen from front doors,” Carrillo said. “We haven’t had any of those reported that I am aware of, which is not to say that we can’t fall victim to that, but we would like the people of Porterville to be aware of that as well, and think ahead if you are shopping online.”
He continued, “You can either have your package delivered to work where you are at, to a neighbor you know is going to be home, or require a signature to avoid falling victim of that.”