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Police Department’s IMPACT team to increase presence at four local shopping hubs

 

CARY , NC – Shoppers at Cary Town Center , South Hills Mall, Crossroads Plaza and Centrum Shopping Center will be seeing men and women in “blue” on “Black Friday” as the Town of Cary Police Department kicks off Operation Safe Shopper -- a concentrated campaign to help deter crime and increase response time during the busy holiday shopping season.  As part of Operation Safe Shopper, Cary police department’s IMPACT team (Implementing Methods of Policing Against Crime Trends) will be in marked vehicles, on foot and on bicycles to raise law enforcement visibility and promptly respond to calls for service in the shopping centers as well as surrounding areas.  The IMPACT team will conduct a similar operation at the shopping areas on the day after Christmas.

 

“We typically see an increase in the number of crimes and complaints beginning the day after Thanksgiving and throughout the peak holiday shopping season, which is why we will conduct the campaign seven days a week,” said Toni Dezomits, Police Sergeant and Impact Team Supervisor.  “Through Operation Safe Shopper, we hope to boost our presence and avert crimes before they occur and at the same time, provide prompt service should businesses or customers need our assistance.” 

 

Dezomits noted that during the holiday season, the Town typically receives an increased number of calls for shoplifting, traffic accidents, lost children, vehicle break-ins and larcenies.

 

Police offer the following holiday shopping safety tips:

• Stay alert and be aware of your surroundings at all times

• Park in well-lighted spaces, lock your car doors, and place packages out of sight in the trunk or under seats

• Do not carry large amounts of cash; pay with a check or credit card if possible

• Carry purses close to the body, not dangling by the straps.

• Put wallets in an inside coat or front pants pocket

• Supervise children at all times.  Teach children to go to a police officer or security guard if they get lost or separated

• Take a holiday inventory.   The holidays are a good time to take photos or videos of items in your home. 

Because traffic also increases around the shopping centers during the holidays, police are also advising shoppers to take heed of the following driving tips:

 

Don’t block intersections.   Blocking intersections causes frustrating and unsafe back-ups; that’s why it’s against the law.  When the traffic signal turns yellow, avoid trying to beat the upcoming red light and pulling into and blocking busy intersections.  Instead, drop back and wait for the next green light.  When traffic lights are green, make sure there is adequate room for you to completely cross the intersection.  

 

Don’t run red lights.  Running a red light can have deadly consequences.  As a result, Cary has 17 red-light cameras designed to deter red-light offenders. Red-light citations carry a $50 fine with an additional $50 penalty if the fine is not paid within a specified period.  Violators who run a red light and are cited by a police officer can face a maximum penalty of $135 as well as insurance points.

 

Contact Cary Police in case of any accidents.  If the accident is minor, motorists should move their vehicles out of the travel lane and into a parking lot or onto the shoulder and call Cary Police at (919) 469-4012.  For accidents involving injuries, motorists should call 911.

 

Watch for pedestrians.  Maintain a safe speed limit in parking lots and be on the lookout for shoppers exiting vehicles and walking to stores.

 

At stop signs, come to a complete stop behind the white stop lines and not in the crosswalk.  Especially when turning right on red, remember that a full stop behind the stop bar is necessary to give you time to look both ways before proceeding.  Look not only for cars but also for pedestrians and cyclists.

 

Always use a turn signal to prevent accidents.   A turn signal alerts motorists of your intended action and helps prevent rear-end crashes, which is why it’s the law.

 

Be patient.  There will be a record numbers of motorists and pedestrians, so a little holiday cheer will go a long way for safety.

 

In addition to Operation Safe Shopper, the Town also offers the Road Watch Complaint Line – a 24-hour telephone service that citizens can use to report dangerous motor vehicle; the number is (919) 319-4521.

 

Motorists can expect strict enforcement of these and other traffic laws as the Town of Cary Police Department works around the clock to make sure everyone has a safe and happy holiday travel season.   

 

 

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PRIMARY CONTACTS:

Toni Dezomits, IMPACT Team, (919) 621-8250 April Raphiou, Deputy Public Information Officer, (919) 481-5091 Susan Moran, Public Information Officer, (919) 460-4951