Will your wallet be easy pickings for a criminal while you enjoy a break for coffee?

West Vancouver Police need residents to review some crime prevention basics after receiving five reports of wallet theft between May 25 and June 6.

Victims had left wallets briefly unattended hanging on the backs of chairs or in shopping baskets; in some cases, store employees left their purses and or wallets unattended on their desks.
 

Purse or wallet theft opens the door to other crimes such as credit card fraud, forgery and identity theft. As with most crimes, these thefts are crimes of opportunity, with criminals attracted to easy or inviting targets.

Consider the following tips to protect yourself:
 

• Do not leave your purse unattended in any public place.
• Always keep your purse closed.
• Carry money, identification and credit cards in your pocket.
• While at work, secure your purse in a drawer or under your desk.
• Do not keep your Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) in your purse.
• Keep your car keys and your house keys on two separate key rings.
• Don’t carry large amounts of cash.
• Keep a list of all credit and identification cards.
• Do not put your Social Insurance card in your purse.

Be alert to any suspicious behaviour and report it to the West Vancouver Police.

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