Keep an eye out for thieves while you Christmas shop

It’s an unfortunate fact that while you shop for gifts, others are looking for a chance to steal your holiday cheer. Ankeny Police Detective Curt Schall suggests locking the car at every stop.Check the car frequently, put gifts in the trunk or on the floor after you’ve brought bags from the store. Often parking-lot theft is a crime of opportunity, says Detective Schall, so locking up the car is enough to deter gift thieves. And lock up the house, too, whether you’re going to grandmother’s place or the grocery store.Leave a TV or light on, have a neighbor watch the house, and report any suspicious vehicles you don’t think should be in the neighborhood. Detective Schall says you can take measures to prevent theft as you’re shopping. Take a credit or debit card instead of cash, and don’t use an ATM machine if someone who makes you uneasy is loitering around.