While many enjoyed their Thanksgiving dinners on Thursday, others stood in line waiting for stores to open their doors for some of the best savings of the year.
In preparation for the busy shopping weekend, Mt. Juliet Police put extra patrols on duty at local shopping centers.
At Providence Marketplace, Mt. Juliet Police tripled their patrols for the busy weekend as a part of “Operation Safe Shopper,” with the hopes of deterring crime before it happens.
“Just watching, seeing what’s going on, being visible, being a presence,” Lieutenant Andy Long of the Mt. Juliet Police explained.
Officers in unmarked vehicles and in plain clothes, along with officers in uniform, watched over shoppers while reminding them that shoppers have to do what they can to protect themselves.
“Don’t leave your valuables in plain view in your vehicle,” Lieutenant Tyler Chandler of the Mt. Juliet Police said. “It just makes it a very easy target for a thief.”
Numerous shoppers noticed the extra security and thanked police as they walked from store to store, while others kept the focus on getting their holiday gifts and getting home.
One man at Best Buy, Jorge Alcaraz, arrived at Best Buy Wednesday evening in order to secure his spot in line. Being first in line, he secured a flatscreen TV.
“It’s definitely worth the wait,” Alcaraz said.
Moving forward, Mt. Juliet police have planned to continue to have increased patrols throughout the holiday shopping season to keep shoppers safe.
