December 21, 2010 - With Christmas just days away, Houston police commanders and officers joined some of the largest retailers in the city on Monday (Dec. 20) for the fourth and final phase of the "Safe Shopping Starts with YOU" holiday safety campaign.

Officers focused on how to prevent purse thefts while shoppers are pumping gas at service stations.  To highlight the message, officers staged such a theft at the gas pumps at one of the retailers' service stations.  

The "Safe Shopping Starts with YOU" campaign is coordinated by HPD and retailers comprising the Greater Houston Loss Prevention Alliance (GHLPA) – Walmart, H-E-B, Randalls, Fiesta Mart, Kroger and Target.  Phase one of the campaign launched on November 15 focusing on preventing burglaries of motor vehicles in shopping center parking lots.  Phase two was launched on November 30 and focused on preventing purse thefts from shopping carts inside the store.  Phase three was held on December 9 and targeted prevention of purse thefts while shoppers were loading purchases into their vehicles. 

Photos of Monday's purse theft demonstration and members of the GHLPA partnership at the event are attached below.

JFC/VHS  12-21-10