SOUTHAVEN, Miss. — Some say it is the most wonderful time of the year, but thieves see the holidays as your most vulnerable time.
Over the next month, shoppers will be spending a lot of dough.
The manager of the new Tanger Outlets mall in Southaven, Lexi Harris, said the mall has extra security measures in place, but she would not share specifics.
She said there is plenty shoppers can do on their own to protect themselves.
“Everybody’s going to have all these bags that they’re going to want to take to their cars, and one thing that people forget is to lock those doors.”
“Just the simple things like your mother taught you!” one shopper, Angela Richardson, said. “Put your bags in the back. Try and put them on the floor.”
Women told WREG that when they are shopping, even the way they carry their purses can be a safety concern.
“I do have a purse that’s slightly open,” Richardson said. “I can’t close it all the way. So I try to keep my hand here so if I feel someone trying to reach in, I have that. I guess it is a little harder to snatch if it’s halfway across my body.”
The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office even released some safe shopping advice, such as only keeping the cash and cards you need on you and always parking in well-lit areas.
“I kind of check under my car before I head over there, check the back seat and everything,” one shopper said. “I watch a little bit too much CSI.”
The Attorney General’s Office also wants you to be on the lookout for fraud or scams. You can report any suspicious activity by calling 1-800-281-4418.
