WITH numbers expected to increase significantly at shopping centres during the lead up to the festive season, consumers have been warned to be vigilant as criminals are always on the prowl.
Charnel Hattingh, Head: Marketing and Communications for Fidelity Services Group, provides 11 reasons criminals find easy targets at shopping centres:
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1. There are a lot of people in one area, which makes it easy for them to disappear into the crowd once they have stolen your handbag or shoplifted.
2. Women with children are often distracted. Turning away from your trolley with your handbag in it for even two seconds is enough time for a criminal to take advantage.
3. Criminals can blend in with other families. Women use children to steal cellphones, handbags and the like, especially in restaurants where they are ‘innocently’ waiting to be served. After the crime is committed, they simply walk off into the busy crowd and blend in.
4. There are many ATM machines. On a busy day nobody wants to hold other customers up if the machine is giving ‘trouble’. This is when a ‘Good Samaritan’ steps in and offers to ‘help’ – actually helping themselves to your pin and bank card. Before you know it, thousands could be withdrawn from your account.
5. Parking areas are large, offering criminals a chance to sit in a car and identify their next target without looking suspicious. This could be a woman alone or with children or an elderly person.
6. It is easy to sit in a car for remote jamming. Always check your car is in fact locked before walking away.
7. It is easy to follow someone who is going to deposit or withdraw a large amount of money at a bank at a mall without them realising it.
8. Shoppers are careless with their valuables – handbags hung over chairs at restaurants, cellphones on the table, and so on. A criminal will not hesitate to grab your belongings and be gone in a matter of seconds.
9. Most people do not notice what is going on around them. Always take note of your surroundings, especially when you are walking back to your car. Check where the car guard or a security guard is and signal for help immediately if you are suddenly approached by a stranger.
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10. People are used to being approached by beggars and hawkers. Criminals are masters of disguise and will use any means possible to get what they want. Do not speak to strangers and if anyone is making you feel uncomfortable, go to a security guard and report them.
11. Everyone has to wear a mask. Covid-19 has done criminals a favour in this respect because now they really do look just like you and I and can commit their crimes without anyone seeing their faces.
‘With the festive season approaching, shopping centres will be busy regardless of the negative effects of Covid-19 on the economy and consumers’ pockets,’ said Hattingh.
‘Remain on guard at all times while shopping, be aware of who is around you and especially keep your children and valuables safe.’
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