It's shopping season — watch your purse

Warwick — ‘Tis the season for shopping and, unfortunately, theft. Yes, while we are bustling around shopping for our Thanksgiving feast and holiday gifts, there are some people out there who are shopping for an opportunity to lift your wallet. And it’s not just in the big, dark mall parking lot that you should be aware. Even during your everyday errands, you should always be aware of who is around you and where your purse and money are. A check of the Warwick Police Department blotter shows that two incidence were reported involving lost or stolen purses from ShopRite since mid-October. The first one was from a woman who said she left her purse in the cart and then it was gone. The second woman returned home and realized her purse was gone. She believed it was taken from her cart when she was loading her groceries into her car. Warwick Police Lt. Thomas Maslanka said there have been a total of six incidents reported from ShopRite from January through Wednesday, Nov. 16. Most were for shoplifting, not stolen purses or wallets. And no purses were snatched from their owners’ possession. The few that were reported were allegedly taken from unwatched carts. Maslanka said there are a few things shoppers should remember to keep from becoming the victim of a theft: Always keep your purse on your person—don’t put it in the shopping cart. When you leave the cart, you are leaving your purse. Even for just a minute, it may be gone when you get back. Keep your purse or backpack zippered or closed—even if it is close to you, a good pickpocket can grab your wallet or money without you even noticing. Don’t flash a lot of cash. It’s like walking around with money hanging out of your pockets. When loading your grocers into your car, do not put your purse on the roof. Do you know how many people drive off with their purse on the roof? Plenty. Maslanka said that with our busy lives, people just forget things. Keep it with you. Finally, only bring in the store what you will need. You might want to leave the purse in the car (locked and out of sight, of course). Carry only your keys, shopping list, money or debit/credit card. Why risk losing all of your credit cards, money, and identification when all you need is your one card? “It doesn’t make a difference where you are in the world,” said Maslanka. “There are unscrupulous people everywhere.”