I am writing to caution people in the Barre/Montpelier area to be careful and alert in local parking lots. There are thieves that wait for a chance to steal your purse or your valuables when you put them in your car, even if you turn your back for only a few minutes. These thieves target grocery store parking lots as well as those at local schools, businesses, and malls. Grocery store lots are prime targets during their busiest hours – particularly between 5:00 and 7:00pm. These criminals seem to have regular spots that they hit on a regular basis. If you have been victimized, you stand a good chance of running into them again.
I encourage area residents to LOCK their cars at ALL times – even when you think you will only be gone for a short time! Remind your children to lock their cars. If you choose to carry a purse, keep it close to you. It is a target. Carry only what you need in the purse – Keep your photos and precious mementos in a safe place – not in your purse. While you can cancel credit cards and take measures to safe-guard your bank accounts and identity, you can never replace those keepsakes that are stolen. And it is important to be aware – when you park, when you go to your car, when you unload your packages – not to be paranoid – but to be aware.
Your awareness can prevent a theft or help identify a thief. Some people think crime is an easy way out. Through these small steps, we can help protect ourselves and our community from this type of criminal behavior and discourage it by making it an unprofitable endeavor.
