Police offer safety tips for holidays

With the holiday season arriving, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office and Bluffton Police Department recently offered some safety tips for people who are leaving home for travel or shopping.

“We encourage drivers to be mindful that Jasper County roads will inherently have more traffic due to holiday shopping and family visits,” Jasper County Sheriff Chris Malphrus said.

Malphrus said it is important to be aware of what is visible in your car and remember to not leave out electronics, money, loose change, purses, bags or personal mail with identifying information to be seen by anyone who might be walking by.

"Try to avoid weighing yourself down with a lot of bags when shopping," Bluffton Police Department spokesperson Joy Nelson said. "Say you buy a lot of stuff from one store. Take all your stuff back to the car and drop it off before your go to the next store because if you're weighed down, it’s much easier for someone to grab some bags out of your hand."

Nelson added that shoppers who need to drop off purchased items at their car should try to secure them under a blanket if possible before locking their cars.

When in stores, avoid flashing large amounts of cash.

"Don’t take out large wads of cash all at once," Nelson said. "If you’re shopping and you have an idea of about how much it will cost, go somewhere discreet and take it out ahead of time rather than taking out $500 of cash and count it at the register for everyone to see."

Malphrus advises against driving alone at night and says to keep all doors locked and windows closed.

“If you must shop at night, be sure to park in a well-lighted area,” Malphrus said. “Park as close as you can to your destination and remember where you parked, and never leave your car unoccupied with the motor running or with children inside.”

Malphrus also said children should stay with their parents in crowded shopping areas. He said if children become lost, parents should find the nearest retail associate, security guard or police officer so they can begin to look for the child. He asks parents to remember what their child is wearing when going shopping or out and about in high-traffic areas.

“Even before leaving for a shopping trip, citizens need to remember to make sure their cell phones are charged, avoid carrying large sums of money and make sure that their vehicle is fueled up completely for the trip,” Malphrus said.

Nelson said Bluffton police are stressing the importance of avoiding distracted driving scenarios during heavy shopping days.

"Not only do you have everyone out on Black Friday. You have their relatives visiting, who aren’t familiar with our roads and aren’t sure where they’re going," Nelson said. "Distracted driving isn’t just texting and driving. It’s thinking about that Christmas list and thinking about where you’re going to park.

"Everyone needs to pack some extra patience. People tend to be stressed this time of year. Before you get in the car, make sure you have your plans organized."

Malphrus said the sheriff’s office will be conducting extra patrols of all neighborhoods and will be adding more deputies for special patrols.

“We offer vacation checks of homes and businesses, within reason, but simply call us and we can have your home or business placed on our extra patrol list for those going out of town this holiday season,” he said.

Social media can also be an issue for some people who decide to post that they are leaving their homes over the holidays, Malphrus said.

“While it’s fun to post pictures and schedules of your holidays on social media, be mindful of who can see your posts,” he said. “If you post you are leaving home to go to another relative’s home for the holidays, everyone will then know you are leaving your home and it could become an easy target for thieves.”

Malphrus said it is important for people to remain aware of their surroundings.

“I want citizens to enjoy themselves and their families this holiday season,” he said. “Please be careful on any road you may be traveling, wear your seatbelt and do not drink alcoholic beverages and drive.

“If you are attending holiday parties and plan to drink alcohol, designate a driver to get you home safe. We want all citizens to come back home. Enjoy your time at home and know that deputies are right outside working hard for you.”