The holiday shopping season is in full swing and it’s important that you keep yourself safe so that you can enjoy spending time with your family. The Perrysburg Police Division has these tips to protect yourself and your home from thieves as well as while shopping either online or in retail outlets: 

• Use a credit card, not a debit card, when making online purchases. It is much easier to cancel a credit card than it is to get the money that was debited from your bank account. 
• Do not connect to free or unsecured Wi-Fi on your phone while shopping. This opens your phone up to being compromised or data that can enter through malware (malicious software). 
• Be sure to track your online packages and whenever possible, set deliveries up so that they arrive when you are home or have them delivered to a pick-up location.  
• If you can’t be home when a package is delivered, many delivery companies will allow you to give instructions on where to place your package. Give specific details in order to prevent them from being stolen from outside of your home. 
• While shopping from store-to-store, do not leave bags in plain sight in your vehicle. Put them in your trunk or underneath the seat or a blanket to keep thieves from being tempted to break-in.
• Always lock your vehicle doors even if you are running quickly in and out of a store. 
• If shopping after daylight, park near a light if possible and shop with a friend or family member.
• Avoid cell phone cases that house your ID, cash and/or cards. If you lose your phone or accidentally leave it somewhere, the result can be much worse than just a lost phone. 

Another reminder: Beware of scams that criminals commit to take advantage of people’s generosity during the holidays. If you get a phone call from someone looking for donations and they start asking for things such as a bank account number, credit card number or your social security number, do not give them your personal information and hang up. It’s also a good idea to investigate charities before making donations and ask how the funds will be used. 

If you plan on leaving for an extended period of time, be sure to lock all of your windows and doors, use timers on your lights, and don’t leave gifts or packages in plain site near a window. Also, don’t drastically change your house when you’re gone. For example, if your porch lights are never on or you never close your blinds or curtains when you are home, don’t leave for vacation and do the complete opposite. These changes to the trained eye are a dead giveaway that you have left for more than just one evening. 

Vacation notice is available to all City of Perrysburg residents. If you are leaving for a few days, we will enter information about your house into our database. In the event of an emergency, the police division will notify the people you have designated to help check your house. Contact the Perrysburg Police Division at 419-872-8001.