- Use traveler's checks and credit cards instead of cash whenever possible. Take only those credit cards you need.
- Carry a purse close to your body, not dangling by the straps. Carry a wallet in an inside coat or from trouser pocket. Better still, wear a money pouch underneath your clothing.
- Be alert for pickpockets in crowded areas like airline, bus and train terminals, major tourist attractions and public transportation.
- Don't look distracted or lost. Walk confidently and stay alert to what's happening around you.
- Stay alert for staged mishaps, like someone bumping into you or spilling a drink, a stranger offering to snap a family photo or a pedestrian jumping in front of the car and falling so you leap out to investigate.
Before You Go
- Plan ahead. If you're traveling by car, get maps and plan your route. Have the car and tires checked out before you leave.
- Leave copies of the numbers of your passport, driver's license, credit cards and traveler's checks with a friend in case you need to replace them.
- Put lights and a radio on timers to create the illusion that someone is at home when you go away.
- Leave shades, blinds and curtains in normal positions. Stop the mail and newspapers or ask a neighbor to take them in.
Once You're There
- When you check into a hotel or motel, check out the locks. Look for deadbolts or solid doors with peepholes. FYI... the new coded electronic cards are safer than ordinary key locks.
- Be sure your luggage is locked. Keep it close to you at — all times.
- Keep valuable in a hotel safe or safe deposit box. Better still, leave them at home.
- Ask the hotel staff or police about the neighborhood's safety and what areas to avoid.
- Lock belongings in your suitcase or keep them out of sight.
- Don't display guest room keys in public or carelessly leave them on restaurant tables, at the swimming pool, or other places where they can be easily stolen.
- Immediately report any crime to the police.
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Crime Prevention Tips Provided by:
National Crime Prevention Council