Dunwoody police urge shoppers to be cautious during busy holiday season

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody police said they are increasing their patrols and surveillance during the busy holiday season, working to combat crimes of opportunity such as shoplifting and vehicle break-ins in popular shopping locations like Perimeter Mall.

Police are actively monitoring areas with higher activity using cameras and patrols, aiming to deter crime before it happens.

Officials urge shoppers to take precautions, too, such as locking their vehicles and hiding valuables to prevent theft.

“Definitely an uptick in shoplifting, and then there’s just a lot more breaking into vehicles,” Sgt. Rashida Herbers of the Dunwoody Police Department told Channel 2’s Candace McCowan.

Herbers advises shoppers to lock, take, and hide their belongings.

“Don’t leave things visible, anything that may tempt a criminal to break into your vehicle,” she said.

“Before you hit the next spot, put everything in your trunk. Try to make it not visible to anyone that is walking by your vehicle,” Herbers said.

Another important tip from the police is for shoppers to know exactly where they have parked, using parking lot numbers to help police respond quickly if needed.

“This is a huge parking lot so those number can get us to you really quickly,” Herbers said.

Sgt. Michael Cheek said it’s important to be a good witness, but don’t get involved if you see something out of the ordinary.

“Let us handle it. Back away. Call 911. Be a good witness,” Cheek said.

Dunwoody police maintain a zero tolerance policy on shoplifting and encourage the public to provide detailed descriptions and tag numbers to assist in catching criminals.

“We try to focus on what we anticipate happening,” Herbers said. “We try to deter the crime before it happens. and that’s what we stick to.”

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