COLORADO SPRINGS- The holiday shopping season kicks off on Thanksgiving as some eager shoppers prepare to shop through the night and into the early hours of Black Friday. With the frenzy of shoppers hitting the stores law enforcement across Southern Colorado is urging people to be aware of potential crime and their safety.
This thanksgiving shoppers showed up hours before stores opened, eager for a deal. Outside the JC Penny at Citadel mall dozens of people waited for the store to open at 2 o’clock in the afternoon.
“Well, my sister does this every year. She wanted me to tag along so here I am, but I think it’s a little crazy to be sitting out here actually,” said Karla Mann, a early shopper on Thanksgiving.
As the first holiday shoppers focus on the deals to be had Colorado Springs Police don’t want us to lose sight of the potential for crimes.
“Pay attention to our wallets in our pockets, right? To be aware of our purses making sure we’re not leaving them in the cart, again that in store awareness is also important,” said Colorado Springs Police Lt. Howard Black.
But it is store parking lots where crooks are most likely to strike.
“If you see something suspicious please call us, or if you are at a mall let mall security know you kind of see somebody looking into windows, or if you see someone out there going car to car,” said LT. Black.
With these warnings in mind, this first wave of holiday shoppers have arrived with a game plan.
“It gets very crowded and it’s good to know what your shopping for so you can go directly to that department,” said Richard Gaertner, a Thanksgiving shopper.
“We’re going in pairs and we’re also going to have walkie-talkies so that we can communicate with eachother if we get separated because the phones aren’t always dependable,” said Mann.
The Colorado Springs Police Department is urging people to be good witnesses if they go out for some holiday shopping. If you witness a crime take good mental notes to pass on to investigators. Getting involved with a suspect should be a last resort.
