The holiday season is in full swing, and lots of people are busy shopping for their loved ones, hoping to find the perfect gift.
But as just-purchased packages are left in vehicles, thieves might steal them—even if the car is locked. There are, however, things you can do to try to protect yourself.
"We always recommend that folks, as they're shopping, don't put things in plain sight or visible, if you can use your trunk or the area in the back where it's not clearly visible or it's covered where you're keeping packages or even keeping them with you," said Mark Priebe, a police officer with the Springfield Police Department.
Make sure your car is locked, he said, but thieves will break out a window to steal items and that’s why it’s important to put things where they can’t be seen.
Priebe said any thefts in Springfield should be reported to the Springfield Police Department.
