>> THIS WEEK ON "HOUSTON
NEWSMAKERS," THE DANGER OF THE
HOLIDAYS.
INCREASED CROWDS AS YOU WADE
INTO HOLIDAY SHOPPING ALSO
MEANS INCREASED CRIME.
WE'LL HAVE EXPERT ADVICE THIS
MORNING ABOUT WAYS YOU CAN
AVOID BECOMING A VICTIM.
>>> AND A PLEA FOR CHURCHES TO
HELP THE CHILDREN OF THE SYSTEM.
LE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM.
A CALL TO WORK IN HAND AND
PRAYER TO HELP THE CHILDREN AND
FAMILIES OF THE WELFARE SYSTEM,
IS TIME FOR NOTHING BUT THE
TRUTH.
IT'S A CONVERSATION WE NEED TO
HAVE.
>> FROM KPRC CHANNEL 2, THIS IS
"HOUSTON NEWSMAKERS," WITH
KHAMBREL MARSHALL.
OF THE YEAR.
YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW DIFFICULT
IT WAS FOR ME NOT TO SING THAT
FOR YOU.
IN THE WORDS OF THE TRADITIONAL
HOLIDAY CHRISTMAS CLASSIC IS
CRIME GOES UP.
THINK ABOUT IT.
SHOPPING MALLS AND SHOPPING
PARKING LOTS FILL UP WITH CARS
AND PEOPLE BY THE THOUSANDS AND
NOTHING ATTRACTS CRIMINALS LIKE
OPPORTUNITIES BY THE THOUSANDS,
WHICH IS WHAT SHOPPERS
REPRESENT.
HERE THIS MORNING TO TALK ABOUT
SOME OF THE DANGERS AND WAYS TO
AVOID THEM IS OFFICER JAMES
SOBOTA OF THE HOUSTON POLICE
DEPARTMENT, 31-YEAR VETERAN,
LOSS PREVENTION ALLIANCE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.
THANK YOU.
>> WHAT ISTHE LOSS PREVENTION
ALLIANCE.
HOW DID THAT START?
>> THROUGH THE POSITIVE
INTERACTION PROGRAM WE HAVE IN
THE CITY, WE NOTICED THAT MANY
YEARS AGO THAT OFFICERS WOULD
JUST RESPOND TO CRIMES THAT
HAVE ALREADY TAKEN PLACE, AND
REALLY, WE'VE NOTICED THAT WHEN
WE WOULD RESPOND TO A CRIME, IT
TOOK PLACE ON PROPERTIES, BIG
BOX STORES, SHOPPING CENTERS,
THE WAL-MARTS OR TARGETS AND
ALL YOUR BIG GROCERY STORES.
SO WE HAVE ACTUALLY MET WITH
ALL THE SECURITY DIRECTORS,
LOSS PREVENTION DIRECTORS, WE
SAT DOWN TOGETHER, AND WHAT WE
HAVE REALLY DETERMINED THAT,
YOU KNOW, MOST OF ALL OF THESE
BIG BOX STORES DIDN'T WANT TO
TALK ABOUT CRIME ON THE% CHANCE
OF THUNDERSTORMS, BUT WE WENT
IN AND WHAT WE DETERMINED IS
THAT THEY'RE ALL SHARING ONE
THING, AND WHAT THEY'RE SHARING
ARE CRIMINALS.
THESE CRIMINALS GO WHERE THE
MONEY'S AT, GO WHERE THEY CAN
DO THEIR CRIMES.
>> SPEAKING OF THAT, WHEN
PEOPLE GO OUT AND SHOP, WHAT'S
THE BIGGEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU
GIVE TO PEOPLE
WHAT'S THE BIGGEST PIECE OF
ADVICE TO BE SAFE?
>> THE BIGGEST ADVICE THAT WE
GIVE EVERYBODY THAT WHEN THEY
GO SHOPPING, GETTING GAS, OR
JUST DRIVING AROUND, IS STAYING
ALERT.
THAT'S THE BIGGEST KEY TO IT.
PUT THE CELL PHONES DOWN, DON'T
TEXT, AND STAY FOCUSED.
>> I WANT TO GET MORE INTO
DETAIL ABOUT SOME OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT WAYS TO AVOID BEING A
VICTIM OF CRIME.
BUT FIRST, CHANNEL 2
INVESTIGATES TEAMED UP WITH
SECURITY EXPERTS TO SHOW YOU
JUST HOW FAST A CAR BREAK-IN
CAN OCCU
ROBERT ARNOLD REVEALS THE
METHODS THEY'RE USING AND
SIMPLE WAYS YOU CANAVOID
BECOMING A VICTIM.
>> AND IT WAS SO FAST.
>> Reporter: CAROLYN WATTINGLY
THOUGHT SHE WAS BEING CAREFUL.
SHE AND HER SISTER WERE
LAST CHRISTMAS.
THEIR TRUCK WAS LOADED WITH
GIFTS, BUT THEY NEEDED TO MAKE
ONE STOP BEFORE THEY WENT HOME.
>> MY SISTER'S LIKE, I NEED
SOME GIFT WRAP AND I WANT TO
BRING THIS THING TO BE FRIEDMAN.
SHE FOUND A WELL LIT SPOT RIGHT
IN FRONT OF THE STORE.
>> IF WE HAVE THINGS IN THE
CAR, NO ONE IS GOING TO STOP
AND ROB US IN FRONT OF THIS
WELL-LIT STORE.
>> Reporter: THAT ASSUMPTION
PROVED WRONG.
A THIEF BROKE THE WINDOW AND
MADE OFF WITH THE PACKAGE.
>> BAH HUMBUG.
>> Reporter: YOU THINK PEOPLE
HAVE A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY?
>> YOU THINK PEOPLE WON'T STEAL.
>> Reporter: COMPANY THAT
SAFEGUARDS VEHICLES AGAINST
THIEVES AND REPAIRS THEFT
RELATED DAMAGES.
HE HELPED US WITH A LITTLE
DEMONSTRATION.
WE SET UP HIDDEN CAMERAS INSIDE
TWO VEHICLES OWNED BY GRANT'S
COMPANY.
>> THAT'S RECORDING.
>> Reporter: WE PUT ONE VEHICLE
IN A CROWDED WEST SIDE PARKING
LOT AND LOADED IT WITH BAGS AND
A BACKPACK.
GRANT WALKS UP TO THE CAR AND A
SINGLE PUSH OF A SCREWDRIVER
BREAKS THE WINDOW.
HE GRABS THE BAGS AND CALMLY
WALKS AWAY.
THIS ENTIRE FAUX THEFT TOOK 20
SECONDS, AND IN THIS BUSY
PARKING LOT, ONLY ONE PERSON
SAW WHAT HAPPENED.
>> I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO
THINK.
THAT WAS PRETTY CRAZY.
>> I WAS ALREADY IN AND OUT OF
THE CAR BEFORE SHE COULD GET
HER PHONE UP TO DIAL ANYBODY.
>> Reporter: NOW WE'RE ON TO A
GALLERIA AREA PARKING LOT AND
THIS PICK-UP.
GRANT SAUNTERS UP AND USES A
SCREWDRIVER TO POP THE LOCK, A
LITTLE WORK ON THE STEERING
COLUMN AND OUR FAKE TRUCK THEFT
TOOK ALL OF 45 SECONDS.
THIS TIME, NO ONE NOTICED
ANYTHING.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN THINGS A
THIEF LOOKS FOR WHEN THEY GO TO
A PARKING LOT LIKE THIS?
>> OPPORTUNITIES ARE YOUR
NUMBER ONE THING.
>> Reporter: THAT MEANS DON'T
LEAVE ANYTHING IN YOUR CAR.
PUT IT IN YOUR TRUNK OR TAKE IT
HOME.
DO TRY TO FIND WELL LIT AREAS.
PARKING IN REMOTE SPOTS ONLY
MAKES YOU MORE OF A TARGET.
LASTLY, MAKE SURE NO ONE IS
FOLLOWING YOU.
REMEMBER WATTINGLY
>> ANYBODY COULD HAVE JUST
TAKEN THAT BAG, KNOWN EXACTLY
WHERE IT WAS WITHOUT FOLLOWING
US.
>> Reporter: ROBERT ARNOLD,
KPRC CHANNEL 2 NEWS.
>> BOY, THAT TOUCHED ON A LOT
OF THINGS YOU TALK ABOUT.
>> THIS IS SOMETHING WE SEE ALL
THE TIME.
>> YOU'VE GOT THESE PACKAGES,
YOU PUT THEM IN THE BACK SEAT
OR YOU THINK ABOUT IT AND WALK
AWAY AND CRIMINALS SAY, OKAY,
THAT'S MY PLACE.
WHAT ABOUT THE TRUNK?
BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU CAN PUT
THEM IN THE TRUNK AND THAT MAY
TRUNK.
>> THIS IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
PEOPLE HAVE A FALSE SENSE OF
SECURITY WHEN THEY GO SHOPPING,
THEY SAY, WELL, I'M GOING TO
PUT THINGS IN THE TRUNK AND I'M
OKAY BECAUSE I'M GOING TO GO TO
THE NEXT STORE AND NOBODY WILL
SEE ME, BUT WHAT A LOT OF THESE
CROOKS WILL DO IS THEY'LL
FOLLOW YOU.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU'RE IN A
STORE WHERE YOU'RE BUYING
EXPENSIVE ITEMS, MAYBE A LAPTOP
OR SOME TYPE OF ELECTRONICS,
THEY MAY FOLLOW YOU AND THEY
KNOW THAT MANY OF US HAVE A
LONG SHOPPING LIST OF DIFFERENT
LOCATIONS TO SHOP, SO YOU THINK
YOU'RE OKAY WHEN YOU TRAVEL TO
THE NEXT STORE.
THESE CRIMINALS KNOW THAT YOU
MAYBE HAVE A LAPTOP OR iPAD,
THEY WILL FOLLOW YOU, THEY WILL
BREAK THE LOCK, POP YOUR TRUNK
LOCK AND TAKE YOUR ITEM.
>> SO KEEP YOUR HEAD ON A
SWIVEL.
YOU'VE DONE VIDEOS IN THE PAST.
STORE.
IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT
JUST BEING AWARE OF SOMEBODY
LOOKING THE WRONG DIRECTION OR
LOOKING AWAY FOR A SECOND AND,
JUST LIKE THAT, THE PURSE IS
LIFTED, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE
THINGS YOU TALK ABOUT ABOUT
BEING AWARE.
>> YES.
GROCERY STORE.
>> YES.
IT'S OUTSIDE THE STORES AND
ALSO INSIDE THE STORES.
MANY TIMES WHEN WE'RE SHOPPING,
WHAT WE SEE IS LADIES THAT WILL
PUT THEIR PURSE LIKE THIS, AND
THIS IS A NICE PURSE.
MANY TIMES LADIES WILL TAKE
THEIR PURSE AND PUT IT ON THE
SHOPPING CART, AND SOME OF
THESE THIEVES, WHEN THEY SEE AN
EXPENSIVE PURSE LIKE THIS,
THEY WORK IN TEAMS, SOMETIMES
WHEN YOU'RE SHOPPING, YOU'RE
LOOKING AT ITEMS, THE PRICE OR
THE INGREDIENT, SOMETIMES
PEOPLE, WHEN THEY WORK
TOGETHER, THEY WILL GET YOUR
ATTENTION AND THEY WILL ASK YOU
SOME QUESTION AND THE OTHER
PURSE.
>> SO THE KEYS ARE NOT ONLY BE
AWARE, BUT MAKE SURE YOU KEEP
THAT PURSE CLOSE TO YOUR BODY.
>> YES.
WE ADVISE IF YOU HAVE TO CARRY
A PURSE, HAVE IT ON YOUR
SHOULDER, BECAUSE MANY TIMES
THEY'LL GRAB THIS, AND AS
YOU'RE BEING DISTRACTED, THEY
WILL TAKE YOUR PURSE, AND
BEFORE YOU TURN AROUND, THAT
PERSON IS ALREADY OUTSIDE THE
STORE.
>> THE VIDEO THAT'S RUNNING NOW
IS ABOUT A DIFFERENT TOPIC,
WHICH IS ABOUT SLIDERS, WHEN
SOMEBODY, IF YOU'RE NOT PAYING
ATTENTION, IF YOU CAN ROLL THAT
BACK, RAY, AND RUN IT AGAIN,
WHEN SOMEBODY PULLS UP TO A GAS
PUMP, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY'VE GOT
TO PAY ATTENTION IS THERE AS
WELL, RIGHT?
SLIDERS, SOMEBODY ACTUALLY GOES
IN YOUR CAR WHILE YOU'RE
PUMPING GAS.
>> YES, THEY'RE CALLED SLIDERS.
WE SIT BACK AND WATCH, AND
WE'RE NOT PICKING ON ANYBODY,
BUT MANY CASES, WHEN SOME OF
THE LADIES, THEY OPENED UP
THEIR PURSES, THEY PUT THEIR
PURSES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE,
THEY WILL ACTUALLY OPEN UP THE
PURSE, GET THE CREDIT CARD OUT,
MANY TIMES WE SEE THEM ON THE
CELL PHONES OR THEY'RE TEXTING
OR GO UP TO THE GAS PUMP AND
THEY WILL SIT THERE AND PUMPING
THEIR GAS.
WELL, WHAT THEY DIDN'T REALIZE
IS THEIR PURSE IS OPEN WITH
THEIR WALLETS OUT, UNLOCKED, SO
THESE CRIMINALS, THEY'LL CREEP
DOWN AND THEY'LL COME ON THE
PASSENGER SIDE, SLOWLY OPEN UP
YOUR DOOR AND THEY WILL
ACTUALLY TAKE YOUR PURSE OUT,
AND MAYBE IT WILL TAKE YOU
ANOTHER MINUTE OR SO TO FINISH
PUMPING YOUR GAS, GET YOUR
RECEIPT, COME BACK IN THE CAR.
YOU LOOK AND YOUR PURSE IS GONE.
>> AND PEOPLE ARE MAKING A BIG
BUSINESS OUT OF THAT.
COSTS TO REPLACE THE THINGS
THAT ARE IN YOUR LIFE IF YOU
DON'T PAY ATTENTION.
>> WE HAVE DONE SURVEYS WITH
LADIES THAT HAVE REALLY NICE
PURSES OR MEN THAT HAVE BRIEF
CASES, AND ON AVERAGE, BY THE
TIME YOU REPLACE YOUR PURSE,
GET NEW ELECTRONIC KEYS, GET
NEW MAKE-UP OR GET NEW
SUNGLASSES OR SOME OF THE MANY
YOU HAVE IN YOUR PURSE, WE'RE
LOOKING AT ABOUT $2,000, AND
THIS IS WHAT $2,000 LOOKS LIKE,
AND THIS IS BASICALLY WHAT IT'S
GOING TO COST TO GET IT
REPLACED.
>> WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
COMING IN AND GIVE US SOME
ADVICE.
HOPEFULLY OUR VIEWERS WILL
LISTEN TO SOME OF THIS AND HELP
YOU STASAFE, AND IT'S CLEARLY
ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE
TO KEEP AN EYE ON ALL THE TIME
THANK YOU FOR COMING IN.
>> MY PLEASURE.
THANK YOU VERY MUC
>> WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A
DEPARTMENT WEB SITE, WHERE YOU
CAN GET A LOT OF THIS
INFORMATION AS WELL IF YOU
PERSON.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING
US.
>> APPRECIATE IT.
>> ONE OF THE PUREST LOOKS OF
JOY, A FOSTER CHILD BEING
OFFICIALLY ADOPTED BY A LOVING
FAMILY, ENDING YEARS OF
UNCERTAINTY IN THEIR LIVES, BUT
WHAT ABOUT THOSE STILL IN
FOSTER CARE?
THERE IS MUCH THEY NEED AND
THERE'S MUCH YOU CAN PROVIDE.
HELP.