MUPD provides safety tips for winter break
December 6th, 2017
COLUMBIA, Mo. – With winter break approaching and the holiday season in full swing, the University of Missouri Police Department (MUPD) offers the following tips, recommendations and resources to help Mizzou community members protect themselves.
MUPD suggests securing belongings, locking windows and doors, placing mail on hold, and leaving porch lights on during winter break. The department has put together winter break tips that are available on the department’s web site here: http://bit.ly/MUPDWinter.
“MUPD recently arrested an individual who was stealing packages being delivered to apartments. The City of Columbia Police Department also has taken several reports of packages being taken from porches or in front of houses,” MUPD Major Brian Weimer said. “Try to have packages delivered when people are home to receive them, have deliveries sent to a friend or relative who can receive packages, or work with delivery companies to hold packages until you can come pick them up.”
Weimer also warns that scammers and identity thieves take advantage of the holiday season and at the end of the semester with individuals calling claiming to represent cashier offices for overdue fees, credit card companies claiming missed payments, and charities trying to get banking or personal information. MUPD offers more information on identify theft prevention at: https://www.mupolice.com/mupd/Identytheftinfo.
“Remember you can do everything correctly and still be the victim of crime,” Weimer said. “However, taking preventative actions can reduce your chances of being a crime victim.”
MUPD asks that all crimes be reported to the police department when they occur so action can be taken to investigate the crime and to determine patterns or issues.
“Officers cannot be everywhere so it takes a community to keep us safe,” Weimer said. “Report suspicious activity to your local police department. Working together we can make the campus and community safer.”
Editor’s Note: Additional safety tips and information can be found here: https://www.mupolice.com/mupd/safetytips.