SWEETWATER, FLA. (WSVN) - With Black Friday just days away, police are warning South Florida residents to stay vigilant for thieves expected to be on the lookout for packages to steal from front porches.
The warning comes as shoppers flock to local malls in order to take advantage of holiday sales.
At Dolphin Mall in Sweetwater, manufactured “snowflakes” greeted shoppers of all ages who walked in, Wednesday night.
“It’s wonderful, and I love it. I just love it,” said out-of-town visitor Claudia Nardoff.
Lavarius Bethel said he has been shopping for hours.
“I’ve been running around this mall. I’m sweating,” he said.
Floridians are searching for the hottest deals on Thanksgiving and Black Friday.
“Almost half a million people come to the mall this weekend for shopping, so it’s great,” said Dolphin Mall spokesperson Madelyn Bello.
According to the National Retail Federation, about 40% of shoppers actually begin their holiday shopping as early as October.
“Retailers have started offering – many of them – have started offering promotions earlier in the season, some as early as Halloween,” said Katherine Cullen, senior director for industry and consumer insights with the NRF.
“I love deals, yeah. I’m looking forward to getting off this Friday and coming back,” said Bethel.
“NRF is projecting an estimated 114 million – more than 114 million – consumers will shop on Black Friday, and that’s still the biggest shopping day out of that entire weekend,” said Cullen.
Bello said shoppers should only stress about gifts and nothing else.
“We always make sure that we have ample security — off-duty police officers and undercover police to make sure that everybody’s safe when they’re coming here to shop,” she said.
Law enforcement agencies across the area will be looking for thieves. With Cyber Monday around the corner, police are alerting Floridians about porch pirates snatching deliveries from people’s homes.
It’s a particularly busy time for the Coral Gables Police Department, more specifically, its Neighborhood Team Policing Unit.
“They are extra set of eyes and ears,” said Coral Gables Police Officer Kelly Denham. “They help with the reduction of package thefts every year.”
That’s because these men and women help move residents’ packages away from the eyes of crooks looking to snatch them from porches.
“If you do it here, you will be charged with a felony, and you will go to jail,” said Coral Gables Police Chief Edward J. Hudak Jr.
Police said porch pirates tend to strike more during the holiday. They are currently looking for a pair captured on doorbell surveillance video pulling up to a home in Coral Gables and grabbing two packages before taking off.
“As we get into the holiday season, we don’t want anything to get interrupted, especially that package that you ordered,” said Hudak.
Whether residents make their holiday purchases online or at the mall, police said they should always observe caution.
“It’s good to have money in your pockets and save it up for this particular day,” said Bethel. “We’re going to have fun.”
For a list of Thanksgiving and Black Friday hours at several popular South Florida malls, click here.
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