Prince George's County police are warning residents that thieves are always on the lookout for unsuspecting holiday shoppers and in particular those who leave shopping bags in their cars.

Holiday shopping isn’t as fun as those feel-good commercials make us think.

On top of all the stress and worry, crimes take a hike during this time.

Prince George's County police in Maryland are warning residents that thieves are always on the lookout for unsuspecting holiday shoppers, especially those who leave belongings of value in their car.

Basically they highlighted personal safety tips and what to look out for. One of the crimes that stands out during the Christmas season is when gifts are taken from cars.

Shoppers commonly return to their vehicles to leave packages right on the seats and then head back in the stores to do some more browsing and buying with empty arms. Cops made it clear it doesn’t matter if cars are locked or not, when thieves see something they want, nothing gets in their way.

Another problem is car thefts in general. Due to the cold weather, many drivers start their car, with the keys in the ignition and step away until the vehicle is warmed up. Suspects can easily get behind the wheel in these cases and take off unscathed.

Parking in well lit areas, constantly being aware of surroundings and holding onto gifts until its time to leave are just a few ways to reduce your risk for theft.