Stay aware during holiday rush

Never leave personal belongings unattended or visible in a parked car, always be aware of your surroundings, secure cell phones safely when not using them and carry wallets in jackets’ breast pockets. Insp. Howie Page of 52 Division shared some of these useful safety tips at a press conference at police headquarters on Nov. 30 to kick-off a five-week holiday crime prevention campaign. With the hustle and bustle of the season, distracted shoppers are easily vulnerable to crime. “Be wary of con artists,” Page said. “Some divert your attention through distraction tactics. The best advice I could give is follow your best instincts. If something does not seem right, avoid that person or location. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.” The five-week prevention campaign will involve officers from 51 and 52 Division along with 15 auxiliary officers who will patrol Yonge St. in uniform during the festive season. Page said the officers will engage retailers and shoppers and distribute crime prevention cards to alert shoppers how to safeguard themselves and their property. He also praised the auxiliary members who volunteer their time during the holidays. “These hardworking men and women volunteer their time to the Service and the City of Toronto,” he said. “We are very pleased to have them play a vital role in this safety campaign. They often juggle full-time jobs with family commitments to come out and support the Toronto Police Service and work side-by-side with our police officers. These men and women often go unrecognized. I applaud them for devoting their time and energy in this initiative and other events throughout the years.” The strong police presence along the Yonge St. corridor is the second part of a crime prevention strategy that started in late October. “The first one took place with police in the downtown core concentrating their efforts detecting criminal activity along the Yonge St. corridor,” Page said. “Plainclothes officers operating in a covert fashion, with the support of uniform officers within our Community Response Units, have been working 24/7 to proactively detect and engage those who support themselves by participating in crime. By operating in a covert manner, officers were able to get into back laneways, parking lots, parks and parkettes to observe and arrest those involved in criminal activity.” As a result of the proactive approach, police conducted 511 investigations, made 62 arrests for criminal offences and charged 95 people under the highway traffic act, 33 people for liquor license act offences and 13 for breaking the trespass property act. As part of the holiday safety campaign, 52 and 51 Division have partnered with Toronto Crime Stoppers on a short video demonstrating how crimes are committed in a short space of time. “We want to ensure that everyone coming into the downtown core has a safe experience and feel safe,” Page said. Source