Holiday shopping safety tips

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - The Mobile Police Department said they are preparing for the busy holiday season and would like to remind everyone to follow these rules to ensure a safe shopping experience:  

• Be aware of your surroundings.
• Safety in numbers - Shopping with others reduces your chances of being a victim. 
• Park only in well-lit areas in designated parking lots.
• Avoid large groups of people that appear to be loitering in parking lots.
• Avoid any unnecessary contact with unknown people in parking lots. 
• Make sure valuable items are not left in plain sight in a vehicle or unattended in a shopping cart.   
• Parents should place an identity card in their child’s pocket in the event they become separated from one another. The card should provide the name of the child, address, telephone contact numbers and the name of a relative.
• In the event that parents and children are separated, the children should be instructed to go to the nearest police officer.
• Do not purchase items from non-licensed solicitors in parking lots.