Black Friday Thefts

Tools

Story Published: Nov 25, 2009 at 8:01 PM PDT

By Jackie Watanabe

Watch the story
The opportunity to steal a deal on Friday is the big attraction even for those who otherwise wouldn't be caught deal in a mall. The opportunity to steal from you is equally attractive for every thief within a hundred miles of a mall.

"Here's another car that has a bag in the back," says Chad Peterschick, looking through a car window. "Who knows what's in it."

Peterschick is prowling for many shoppers' mistakes. Black Friday offers him and his fellow deputies a great opportunity to score as well. His fleet of bait cars already has a solid reputation for snagging car thieves.

"We're gonna have those out in several of the shopping malls this Friday and the parking lots," says Peterschick. "We'll be in unmarked cars and plain clothes."

Car prowlers are also identity thieves. They'll take your old power bill, receipts and registration, and then take you for everything on a later date.

Peterschick says things like a purse sitting on a passenger seat can become an instant attraction to thieves.

However, it's not an instant lesson to owners of the cars.

"It's because we have cameras you know," says Jessica Smith, a holiday shopper who left her belongings visible in her car. "So I know that if anyone were to do that, I don't know, I just don't think of people doing like that."

But, people are doing like that everyday. But you can spoil a thief's holiday tradition by just making things a little tougher.

"Thieves and prowlers are cowards by nature so, they don't want to draw attention," Peterschick says. "What they're trying to do is get in and out without being seen or heard."

Same old message, same old thieves. And in too many cases, same old shoppers making the same old mistakes.

Upload directly from your mobile device.

Learn how

YouNews

This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

On Demand

Resources and info you need to prepare for the switch to DTV.

Stay Connected