In this, the final week before Christmas, residents are reminded not to let their guards down while enjoying the festivities.

In the frenzy of last-minute shopping and the true Christmas spirit in general, many people unknowingly open themselves up for a theft which could spoil the holidays for them.

It can happen while shopping, at home with their Christmas gifts wrapped and under the tree or even while socialising during the holidays. Much of the thefts committed during this time of year can be prevented, says Melinda Benevides, who works in the Bermuda Police Crime Prevention Unit.

?The holiday season is an opportune time for crime because people tend to be less security conscious, they tend to be distracted,? said Mrs. Benevides.

?If they are out shopping they are focused on getting that perfect gift and tend to forget about taking security precautions. Over the years it (figures) have shown an increase in crime around the Christmas season.?

Crime takes on many forms during Christmas, with merchants also targeted by thieves. Even an unsecured home containing plenty of cash or Christmas gifts can be easy pickings for an experienced thief.

?Another reason there are crimes of opportunity is that homeowners tend to have more items of value around at Christmas time and tend to keep cash lying around as well,? said Mrs. Benevides, one of two Crime Prevention Officers in the Crime Prevention Unit.

?It makes a beautiful scene to have a Christmas tree decorated with tinsel and glimmering lights in front of a window displayed with gifts piled high. But unfortunately it is very, very tempting to a thief and is an opportunity waiting to happen.

?We remind people to use their door and window locks and if they have auxiliary locks to use them as well. With many of incidents that occur, little or no force is used to gain access into the homes. We recommend that you don?t put your gifts out on display until the last minute.?

Added Mrs. Benevides: ?If you are out shopping, try to make smaller, more frequent trips and not to do it all at once which a lot of people have a tendency to do.

?One, you are overburdening yourself with packages and are more likely to be distracted and more vulnerable as a target. If at all possible, try to use a debit or credit card and try not to carry large amounts of cash on your person.?

Mrs. Benevides recommends putting the cash in separate pockets rather than carrying it all in one place and not to have large amounts of cash at home.

?And if you have to go to an ATM machine do it during the hours of daylight and if you have to do it at night go with a friend,? she urged.

Cars have been known to be targeted by thieves after valuables have been seen placed there. Being aware of your surroundings and suspicious persons is strongly advised. That applies at any time of the year.

?We recommend you secure your valuables out of sight, and this includes loose change that you may keep in your car for the parking meters,? said the Crime Prevention Officer.

?Anything of value should be kept out of sight, because out of sight is out of mind. Anything left in plain view is a temptation. You have to be concerned that somebody is watching you when you return to your vehicle to put your items in.?

At this time of year millions of dollars are in circulation as residents prepare for the holidays. Packages, purses and personal items can all be lost in the frenzy that comes with the shopping rush in the last few days before Christmas.

?Sometimes people tend to take advantage of the elderly and also take advantage of people?s generosity during the Christmas season,? said Mrs. Benevides.

?They (thieves) can be quite brazen as well. During the Christmas season people tend to have a lot of company, so they may not want to lock the doors all the time. But even if they do leave it insecure for a short period of time and are just going out for five minutes, that is all it takes for an intruder to come in.?

Mrs Benevides also advised that residents should be aware that their Christmas garbage put out for collection could also provide would-be thieves with valuable information.

?When people put their boxes out for trash pickup they don?t realise they are advertising all their newly acquired purchases, so that is something they have to be cautious of,? said Mrs Benevides.

?We advise that they break down their boxes as much as possible and conceal them in dark garbage bags so they are not visible.

?We also want to remind people about our u-marking system to mark their consumer items.?

The programme is being revamped for the first time in more than ten years, with the support of a number of insurance companies who pay out millions of dollars through cycle thefts alone. Through the Police Media Relations Department there will be a launch at the end of January of the Crime Prevention U-Mark Programme.

?It doesn?t prevent items from being stolen but it increases your chances of getting your items back if they are recovered because you can be identified as the owner,? Mrs Benevides stressed.

?We also recommend you photograph (individually) your items of value and have a contact sheet. You can keep a copy of the contact sheet in a safe place and the other copy can be handed over to your insurance company. That is if you have home contents insurance which is recommended.?

Other security tips include:

Having your keys ready upon approaching your home to get in as quickly as possible.

If going away have somebody collect mail or other deliveries.

Leave a key with a trusted neighbour or, if you have an alarm, advise your alarm company that you are going abroad and for how long.

Try to give your house a lived in appearance with timers for lights, radios and televisions.

?Anytime you are away from your home it should have a lived in appearance,? advises Mrs. Benevides.

Sergeant Alex MacDonald, Crime Stoppers Coordinator and supervisor for the Crime Prevention Unit, revealed that a commercial is due to run next week, emphasising safety over Christmas.

?Even the Christmas card issue by the Commissioner has crime prevention tips on it that was done by the department,? he revealed.

?Although we?ve been very diligent, people still don?t listen to what?s being advised. Crime Stoppers and Crime Prevention have actually gone public this year with a number of radio and TV commercials, trying to get over to the public that caution can be their best supporter.

?Most of the break-ins, especially over the last few weeks, have related to night breaks...done during the hours of darkness. That?s usually when people are in their living room watching television and people will break into the back bedroom or even when they are sleeping.

?Last weekend six break-ins occurred after midnight in the central parishes, basically Paget and Warwick. Although we have apprehended a number of suspects it is still continuing.?

Police are also reinforcing safety when socialising, especially at bars and nightclubs with unattended drinks.

?Crowded places tend to make it easier for criminals to take advantage of people and opportunities that they are provided with,? said Mrs. Benevides.

?You can be distracted when you go to a restaurant or a club when there are a lot of people around and it is very noisy. People are taking advantage of those opportunities.

?We advise people to watch their drinks at all times, not to let it get out of sight and not to accept drinks from strangers. And try not to make yourself a target by drinking too much. It does impair your judgement.?