11/14/2017 from the Owasso Police Department
As the holiday shopping season approaches, you will likely notice an increased law enforcement presence in the retail areas throughout Owasso.
The Owasso Police Department Holiday Patrol assigns officers to the retail shopping centers to help keep the customers/employees safe, reduce theft from the businesses, and discourage theft from vehicles in the parking lots. Although we have had a strong police presence on holiday patrol for the last several years, that presence will be increased significantly for the 2017 season – more than doubling the number of officers assigned to this program in previous years. Officers assigned to holiday patrol will be in addition to the normal staffing levels on the patrol shifts and will not take away from our normal responsibilities in other parts of the city.
The Owasso Police Department wants to do everything we can do ensure that residents and visitors to Owasso enjoy a happy and safe holiday season. But, as always, we heavily rely on the help and support of the public to accomplish that goal.
SAFETY TIPS:
If you see something suspicious, call the police and be a good witness: *Don’t risk your safety by confronting a possible suspect – get a good description and call the police to respond. *We would rather respond to something that turns out to be innocent than not respond and it turn out to be a crime that could’ve been prevented if someone had called us.
Thieves are looking for an easy opportunity – do everything you can to make yourself a “hard target”: *Even if you’re just running inside for a few minutes, lock your car doors, do not leave your keys in your vehicle, and do not leave the car running unattended. *Avoid leaving valuables in your car, especially if those items are visible to passersby. *If you’re stopping at multiple stores, make sure you secure your previous purchases in a safe place, not sitting in view in the back seat to tempt a potential thief.
Do not leave valuables such as your purse or cell phone unattended. A few seconds of distraction is enough time to allow a potential thief to grab your purse from an unattended shopping cart and walk away before you notice.
Never leave your pets or young children inside an unattended vehicle. Even though the hot summer weather is long gone (probably), other safety threats to children or pets inside a vehicle still persist and it simply isn’t worth the risk.
If you choose to do some of your shopping online this year, be sure to protect your valuable packages from theft when they arrive on your doorstep. Consider scheduling your deliveries for a time when you will be home or have the packages shipped to your workplace. If you will be gone when the package is delivered, ask a trusted neighbor to bring the package inside when it’s delivered.