Shopping Centers
& Malls
Shopping centers come in
all sizes from the giant
regional malls to the
strip center with only a
few stores. What they
have in common is a
parking lot. This is
where you and your
family is at it's
greatest risk because of
the nature of a shopping
center parking lot. The
most common
violent crimes
committed in the parking
lot are
stranger-on-stranger
crimes such as purse
snatching,
strong-arm robbery, and
occasionally carjacking`s
and abductions.
If you think about it we
are all strangers in a
large parking lot,
making it fairly easy
for criminals and
predators to blend in
with the rest of us. The
next time you go to a
large shopping center
sit in the parking lot
for a few minutes and
observe how easy it
would be for criminal or
predator to approach and
attack you or your
family. Shoppers walk to
and from their cars
totally consumed by
their thoughts and what
they are going to do
next. Watch shoppers as
they approach their cars
fumbling for their keys.
They will turn their
backs and attention
completely away from
those nearby to load
their shopping bags into
the car, and get
children and infants
inside the vehicle, and
most shopping center and
parking lot abductions
and carjackings occur
precisely at this point.
Awareness is
Best Defense:
To protect your family
in a setting like this
is defense and
awareness. Awareness
will allow you
anticipate the potential
danger and plan ahead
for the next time you go
to a shopping center.
Planning includes
selecting a safer time
to shop and not shop
alone if possible. You
can plan where to park
and scan the area for
any suspicious persons
before entering or
exiting your vehicle.
Families should agree in
advance to enter and
exit the vehicle quickly
and lock all doors.
Families should be
trained to look around
their vehicle before
approaching and retreat
if anyone suspicious is
loitering in the area.
They should be trained
to return quickly to the
shopping center and
alert mall security or
phone the police. A
little awareness
(educated-paranoia) is
healthy and can keep
your family safe.
1) Be aware and alert to
predators in the parking
lot
2) Plan when to go and
where to park
3) Do not get out of the
car if it is not safe to
do so
4) Scan the area around
your car as you approach
it
5) Teach your family to
enter and exit the car
quickly
6) Return to the store
if anyone looks or acts
suspicious
7) Call the police and
notify mall security of
any
criminal activity.
