Tis the season for stealing

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Tis the season… for stealing.

"We're going around looking in the cars,” said Austin Police Officer Troy Schouest, “what might entice somebody to break in."

A crowded mall parking lot is the perfect opportunity. While you're shopping inside, burglars are also browsing.

"There may be a burglar right across the street, who is watching everybody walking out with bags,” said Officer Kelly Lahood.

Lahood and Schouest hit Highland Mall's parking lot Friday morning with ticket books in hand.

"It scares a lot of people,” said Lahood, “so the first thing you see is people come running down with curlers in their hair from salons, saying, 'No, is my car parked wrong?'"

Not parked wrong... just very unsecure. This police pair put out a thousand of the ticket-like warnings on windshields. They call them "mousetraps."

"I think it has something to do with the bait,” said Schouest, “keeping people from leaving their ‘cheese’ out."

Seeing a perfect example, Lahood stuck her arm through a partially opened window.

"Somebody can easily go inside the window,” she said. “Actually, I can unlock the door, just like that."

It’s something so simple, but people often forget in the rush to shop.

"There's a purse in the back,” said Lahood. “There's a leather jacket in the backseat, as well."

The officers grade your habits to let you know how inviting your car really is. They mark them all down on the windshield warning.

"It depends on what I buy,” said shopper Chasity Beatty, “but for the most part, as long as I lock the car and turn on the alarm, I usually don't cover it up."

Officers said that’s the biggest mistake.

"Put them in the trunk,” said Schouest, “but leave your receipt with you. That way if somebody breaks into your car, they can't exchange the gifts for cash. They'll steal them and re-gift them or try to return them to get money or store credits."

With an entire season of shopping to go, Lahood said, “There's a lot of people who have sticky fingers and just want to get into other people's things."

Three important tips she said most shoppers never consider include:

• Moving your car. If you hit the stores and bring your bags back, switch locations in parking lot to throw off burglars.
• Hiding your chargers. If thieves see phone or iPod chargers inside, they'll know you have something else they want.
• Throwing away your food bags and wrappers. Police say some thieves could be homeless people, who just want a bite.

For the burglars out there, keep in mind, this security effort isn't the only thing out there this year. APD has undercover officers posing as shoppers, who would love nothing more to catch you in the act this holiday season.