Recognize parking perils and follow these proper parking procedures to stay safe.
Parking lots are often large, have inadequate lighting, and lack reliable security. This makes them opportune places to commit crimes. There are often many places where criminals can hide and wait for unsuspecting victims. Try thinking like a “bad guy” and look for places that would provide a criminal an opportunity to commit a crime. Then think of ways to defeat that opportunity.
I remember a time when Marc MacYoung and I were in San Diego doing a crime avoidance spot for a local news station and I hit near a parking structure’s stairwell to attack the college students helping with the lesson. It doesn’t matter if it is an outdoor area or a multilevel garage, there are hidden places that provide hiding places for criminals.
People who are confused about their car’s location, carrying bags and packages, or searching for their car keys make perfect crime victims. This is another reason Situational Awareness is so important!
Choose Your Parking Place With Care
If you can, use attended parking garages, they tend to be more safe. However, remember to remove any personal identification items from the car and only leave your ignition key with the attendant.
Here is a suggestion that I have mixed feeling about. I personally will often park farther from the store. I like the little bit of exercise I get, and I always figure if something happens where everyone is running toward their vehicles, I can outrun most people, get to my car, and be gone without getting caught in the confusion of vehicles. With that being said, parking closer to the store and in the interior of the lot can be more safe than parking on the perimeter. Many parking-lot crimes occur on the perimeter, because this “fringe” area has less people and usually presents a better escape route for the thief.
If you are in a multilevel garage, it can be safer to chose a space near the mall entrance or elevator. If it will be dark before you finish shopping, park near a source of light. Try to avoid parking near shrubbery or other items that could provide cover (hiding places) for criminals. Also avoid parking next to occupied vehicles or near suspicious individuals. Remember to pay attention to your intuition.
Never show cash or valuables while you are in the parking lot, and do not leave anything valuable visible in your car. And here is a real important one that people still don’t follow: NEVER leave a child inside your vehicle, no matter how quickly you expect to return.
Stay alert when you are walking through the parking lot, and walk with purpose. Criminals like people who are distracted on their cell phone or watch their feet rather than looking around. Don’t carry to many purchases where they are taking your attention away from your surroundings. Have your keys ready so you are not looking for them as you approach your vehicle. Carry your keys in your non-dominant hand and you will more easily be able to get to a concealed weapon if you need to. Or, if you have no other weapon, carry the keys in your dominant hand and they can be used as a weapon if needed. If your keys also have a button to set your car alarm off, this can be used to attract attention if needed as well.
Remember that criminals look for people who are distracted. When your attention is not on safety, but on getting in or out of your vehicle, putting groceries or small children into the car, looking for keys, or trying not to bang your door into the car next to you, you are more vulnerable. Criminals love distracted targets.
If you think you are being followed, go back inside or where there are more people, and look for a security or police officer. Pay attention to your instincts and if you feel uncomfortable or see someone who looks suspicious, ask a security officer to accompany you to your vehicle. Also, remember to report and crime you might see in the lot.
When you are approaching your vehicle, look underneath. It is also prudent to walk around the vehicle checking for flat tires, damage, etc. Look inside before getting in, and lock the doors once inside. Many people will sit in their vehicles with their heads down looking over things like a receipt with the doors unlocked. This is an opportune time for a criminal to strike.
It makes me sad to write this, but when thinking safety first, be wary of strangers who approach you in a parking lot, and do not accept their help should something be wrong with your vehicle. If a person tells you something is wrong with your car before you get to it or enter it, find a security officer or call the police.
Read about a parking-lot set-up that happened to me, or listen to the audio.
Remember to lock your doors. Many parking-lot crimes could be avoided if people would remember to lock all doors when exiting and entering vehicles.
Not all of these parking-lot rules are applicable everywhere. I understand there is a big difference parking at places in Montana where I live than when I am visiting larger metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles and other big cities I visit. It is up to you to know the areas you shop and park and take the safety precautions most prudent for where you are. However, remember that crime can and does happen everywhere, even in the smaller communities like in Montana.
I’ve read reports of all kinds of crimes committed in parking lots, including kidnappings that turned into brutal murders. (Google Megan Holden for one.) I’m giving you conservative advice to stay safe. Some people may think it is “too much,” but I guarantee you victims wish they had done the things in this article.
Proper Parking Procedure Checklist*
♦ Think like a bad guy to predict and defeat criminal opportunity.
♦ Don’t park on the perimeter of an outside lot.
♦ In a garage, park near the elevators of mall entrance.
♦ If you plan to shop through sundown, park near a source of light.
♦ Be wary of strangers who approach you in a lot.
♦ Remember where you parked your car and walk confidently and quickly to it.
♦ Have your keys ready before you leave the store.
♦ Never accept any help from a stranger if your vehicle fails to start.
♦ Carry only a reasonable number of packages.
♦ Do not leave any valuables visible in your car.
♦ Lock all car doors.
♦ Check in the backseat and under your car when you return.
♦ Trust your intuition and instincts.
♦ Don’t think, “It won’t happen to me.”
♦ Stay Alert, Stay Alert, Stay Alert.
* Inspired and Adopted from How To Be Safe: Protect Yourself, Your Home, Your Family, and Your Business From Crime by Ira A. Lipman