| The holiday season is a prime time for parties in | | | | 2. Be a good host and collect your guests' coats |
| the home. It's hard to imagine that someone you | | | | when they arrive and retrieve them from |
| invite into your home for a party would commit a | | | | wherever they were kept when your guests |
| crime, but it's true. And the larger your party, the | | | | leave. This helps prevent people from wandering |
| more likely something will get stolen or damaged. | | | | through your home. |
| Thefts during a party can be greatly reduced by | | | | 3. Only allow invited guests into your home. |
| following these simple precautions: | | | | Uninvited guests may not be well known to you, |
| 1. Put your valuables away in safe places. Your | | | | and may not respect you or your property. The |
| bedroom is an obvious place for thieves. I can | | | | real trouble begins when you invite the whole bar |
| probably predict to within a few square feet | | | | crowd to your home at closing time. |
| where your valuables are in your home. Ladies, | | | | 4. Keep the number of guests to a manageable |
| yours are in the bedroom, on top of your | | | | number and keep the activities centrally located. |
| dresser, or in the top drawer. This is where you | | | | The more people you have in your home, the |
| keep your jewelry, watches, wallets, purses and | | | | greater the chance for loss. |
| other valuables. Men, if you've got firearms, | | | | Most of us would never dream of committing a |
| you've got them stored where you can get your | | | | crime in a friend's home, holiday time or not. Police |
| hands on them at night, so I'd look in the | | | | Department files are full of reports from victims |
| nightstand near the bed. Thieves know this too. | | | | who were ripped off by their supposed "friends" |
| So when you have a party, lock-up these items, | | | | during parties. Don't give a thief the chance to |
| hide them or lock your bedroom door (if you've | | | | commit a "crime of opportunity." Before your |
| got a lock on the door more substantial than one | | | | next gathering, take a few steps to keep your |
| that can be picked with a bobby pin.) | | | | property "party-proof. |