Holiday safety tips for shoppers

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Austin police are reminding people to lock their cars, hide their newly-purchased presents and take their keys during the holiday season.

If a driver leaves an item in plain view, they are simply making the thieves' job easier.

"Auto thieves shop the easy way by stealing gifts, purses, wallets, packages and other valuables left in plain view inside vehicles," said the release from APD. "Within seconds, a thief can steal your items, identity and sometimes even your car."

The Auto Theft Protection Project will walk through parking lots and peek through car windows to see if a thief could target your vehicle. If they see something that could be easily stolen, they will place a "crime prevention notice," which ironically looks strikingly similar to a parking ticket, under people's windshield wipers.