BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (WKRG) – It’s the busiest shopping time of the year, and Baldwin County law enforcement is warning you to stay alert.
“Usually this time of year you start to see a lot more of your thefts,” said Lt. Shane Nolte with the Fairhope Police Department.
He’s already noticing an uptick in holiday crime. It’s not always the traditional theft cases, either.
“We’re still getting the Amazon accounts have been hacked and locked and we’ll unlock it for this amount. We recently had one that was $4200 that was an Amazon account hack,” he continued, speaking about a recent phone scam circulating through the city.
If it’s not a crime over the phone or online, crooks are still brave and ready to act. Even with a security system and surveillance cameras rolling two suspects cut into the roof of Best Buy in Spanish Fort last week, stealing thousands of dollars worth of Apple products. On Tuesday Spanish Fort Police released a photo of a van they believe may have been the getaway vehicle.
“Some apparently feel like it’s still worth the effort. Even if they know those cameras are there, there are people still taking those chances,” said Lt. Nolte. Nolte tells us Ring cameras have helped capture suspects in the past, but he reminds homeowners you should never strictly rely on a camera for security. He says there are steps you can take to stop a thief before they even make it to your doorstep.
With Cyber Monday this week more homeowners are receiving online orders, too. Police say these packages are typically left on your doorstep and spotted easily by criminals.
“Have a neighbor pick them up or a family member swing by. Make sure somebody’s close to get those deliveries because people are out getting them this time of year,” he continued.
Fairhope Police also remind you to keep empty boxes away from the driveway. These boxes could give thieves an idea of what’s inside your home.