Superintendent Trevor Hermanutz of the Edmonton Police Service joined CTV Morning Live’s Kent Morrison to discuss ways to protect yourself and your property during the holidays.

This transcript has been edited for length and clarity.

Kent Morrison: Amid the joy of the season, danger always lurks. What should people generally watch out for this holiday season?

Trevor Hermanutz: It’s the holiday season, and we’re all getting gifts for people. Above all, we are seeing a real increase in thefts. So theft prevention is probably the most important advice I can give people at this time of year. Protect your valuables, protect your gifts.

Kent: According to a recent report, 1 in 10 Canadians have been affected by porch pirates. Have you seen an increase in that amount here in the city?

Trevor: This is because you will see a lot of deliveries happening. It used to be the place where people went to the stores and bought their gifts, but today many people shop online. Many deliveries are made to your home, and we have seen an increase in this figure, especially at this time of year.

Kent: What should people do to protect themselves?

Trevor: Something we need to put at the forefront of their minds is if you have deliveries, try to be home. When you have deliveries, have them delivered to a safe location, perhaps hidden on your porch. Talk to your neighbors and ask them to pick it up for you, or even deliver it to a safer location. If you have a more public location, have them delivered to a location where you can accept deliveries. These are little tricks they can do to protect their own packages.

Kent: You mentioned that people go to physical stores, and a lot of times it’s a big day where you’re shopping in different places and leaving things in your car at some point when you go to another store . How can people best protect their vehicles this time of year?

Trevor: It’s an exciting time, especially being able to buy gifts for your families. When you return your gifts to your vehicle, try not to leave them in plain sight. Lock them in the trunk and cover them with a blanket. The simple thing for people is that if they see it, they will try to take it. Store it safely, lock your car, park it in a very well-lit area. Little things you can do make a difference, because if it’s easy, they’ll accept it. If not, they will move on to the next one.

Kent: And it can happen quickly, even if you stay in the store for a few minutes.

Trevor: Very quickly. I know it’s a little more inconvenient sometimes, but open your trunk and throw them in. It’s much safer.

Kent: Many people also go on vacation. Is there anything they can do while they are away?

Trevor: First thing, don’t tell everyone, don’t post on social media that you’re going to be gone for an extended period of time so people know. A lot of lighting is just about having your home well lit. Have someone check your house regularly. If you have deliveries, postpone deliveries if you can or ask a neighbor to check your house periodically. It’s just a matter of using a little common sense and taking precautions.

Kent: Another important phenomenon during the holidays is traffic stops and impaired driving. What do you have to say about the effectiveness of the controls?

Trevor: I’d like to say we’re going in the right direction, but it seems like we’re almost on par with what we did last year. It’s just education. I think the most important thing for all of us is if you drink, don’t drive. This comes from varying levels of impairment, from drugs to alcohol. I know we all want to go have fun with our friends, and we all want to enjoy the season, but make plans. Call an Uber, have a designated driver. This is really important this time of year because we all want to spend time with our loved ones, and the worst thing we want is for something to happen to them.

Kent: And that goes for the night and the next morning too.

Trevor: Correct. Every time you have a nice night out and come home, it takes a few hours for this to pass through your system, so be prepared for that as well. If you plan to go out and enjoy the season, just know that much of the lasting effects of alcohol and drugs stay in your system for a while.

Kent: More information on how to stay safe this season is available edmonton police.ca.