Ellis Co. Sheriff shares holiday shopping safety tips

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Ellis County Sheriff Scott Braun shares tips on how to keep safe during the busy holiday shopping season.

 

Transcript

 

James Bell 

The holiday season means increased shopping and increased risk of theft. Ellis County Sheriff Scott Braun stops by to talk to us a little bit about how to stay safe while out collecting those holiday guests. On this episode of the Post Podcast.

 

Scott Braun 

You know, there's a couple of things we can do to protect ourselves. One, if we're buying gifts online, go to a reputable site, make sure that you're using some type of card or something that has some security to it, monitor your, your purchases through that. Get on some of those sites that will tell you if you have some things to charge to you is monitored closely. As we know scams go up during this time, this year will be no different than any other year, that will be a large percentage, a large percentage of fraud cases being reported to law enforcement to investigate the pretty difficult for us to do. Typically, they're out of our jurisdiction. But unfortunately, you know, the card companies are pretty good about working with people, but monitor that because they can get away from you pretty quick, cancel those cards, if it happens. Regards to gifts, you know, everybody's going to all of the stores around town or out of our community or wherever they might be. Make sure that when you're parking your car, that it's secure. Try to cover those gifts in the back. You know, it just takes a brief moment for somebody to break a window. Or if you leave that door open by accident, kids getting in and out. We're busy. We forgot, forget to check our doors and our kids. Did you lock your door? Yes, well, we all know that sometimes happens, right? And they take the gifts and it cost you some money. And we have some kids unhappy and so just make sure that you're covering those items up and securing your vehicle. And And ladies, please make sure your purses when you're in the stores that you're not letting them by themselves in the cart while you're trying on something or you're dealing with your kids. I know what happens. But please be cautious. You know, those increase every year also. And if anybody's been watching the news, we've been seeing a lot of that stuff in the eastern and western part of the states. Not in Kansas necessarily. We'll knock on wood on that. But there's been a lot of thefts from from stores, a lot of looting and things of that nature. And so unfortunately, that's a trickle effect. Sometimes we hope that doesn't enter our community, but we just want everybody to be cautious.

 

James Bell 

Yeah. And, you know, I heard a story a while back about some booze, doing some shopping and turned her back just turned her back from home to grab the purse out of the car. And then somebody tried to grab it from her. And more or less.

 

Scott Braun 

Yes, you know, and and that's a good point. I know my reaction is to fight that person or, or the ad and I and I get that I can't say that I would be any different. But you know, it is a purse. And I don't want anybody to be harmed, because there are some people that will harm other people to get that item. So just be careful with that. And you just got to be aware of your surroundings. When when, during this time or any time to be for that matter of fact, just be careful around your surroundings. And if you get that kind of funny feeling. Probably something not right.

 

James Bell 

Yeah, better safe than sorry.

 

Scott Braun 

Yeah. So you know, the last the other thing, and we'll kind of get off because I talked about it briefly of people traveling. Again, and I know I spoke about this a long time ago, but please have some precautionary items in your vehicle. Let's get some blankets in there. And let's make sure we have a you know, charger cell phone might have some type of heating item in there. If you're stuck, watch the weather in, you know, years ago, it may have been more difficult. But now we get weather notifications, they pop up all the time on our phones, if you have a smartphone, make sure people know when you're going to arrive approximately at a location. So if you're extended a significant amount, they can start making some phone calls and say, hey, my loved ones not here. Please keep in contact with them. But travel safe. Take a little extra time if the roads aren't good, because the last thing we want to do is have someone injured and and we do see quite a few accidents. There's a lot of travel during Christmas time. And our weather changes in Kansas as we know 30 seconds from now. It could be snowing, who knows? You know? Yeah. So just take a few extra minutes.

 

James Bell 

Yeah. And you know, I was talking to some friends of mine that are a little bit younger, just the other day about this very thing. And they said well, we have a cell phone failing happens. Let's make a phone call. And I'm like, oh gosh, I remember growing up and you know, we lived in a real small town. So travel was part of our daily life 30 minutes, 40 minutes every day. And we didn't have any way of contacting so those those that like the candle in the can and the blankets and all that you know still lives in my trunk. But these younger folks, I think they rely on the cell phones and just think well if I get in trouble I'm going to call but sometimes in service There's situations, you're going to wish that you had some way of staying warm, at least till somebody gets there. And you know, if you're stuck, pros are terrible, whatever it might be.

 

Scott Braun 

You know, technology fails us. And maybe that cell phone's not working, or you were on an all day, and you're gonna make that last phone call. And for whatever reason, your battery just died and you're in this snowstorm, and you can't make that phone call. We don't know where you are, we can't get to you. So you're absolutely right, we've got to take care of ourselves a little bit. We got to make sure we have some means of staying for a period of time. I remember a few years ago, we had some pretty good it's been a number of years ago, pretty good blizzards where I 70 was shut down and, and we were having a hard time getting to people stranded, we actually had to call the National Guard and they started running up and down the road because they had the vehicles to do it. So those people sat there for a couple hours before we get to him. But the point is, is we've got to gotta have some precautionary things and it doesn't take anything, throw something in a bag and put it in the trunk.

 

James Bell 

And just sit there for multiple years if you're like me.

 

Scott Braun 

Yeah, correct. And you have it when you need it. So yeah, so just a few things to think about. And probably last but not least, I know we're probably close on time. On behalf of the Ellis County Sheriff's Office, we'd like to wish everyone a happy, happy New Year and Merry Christmas and I kind of turn those around but I think you get the idea. We want everyone to travel safely and want everyone to have a joyous Christmas for sure. We've had some tough years and everyone gets together as just a wonderful holiday.