In today’s paper, we have a guest columnist, Investigator Karen Ball, Crime Stoppers coordinator for Beaufort County. In her column, “’Tis the season,” she gives expert advice as to how to avoid getting ripped off over the holidays. Ball’s advice is on the money, and while some might shrug their shoulders and say, “That’s never going to happen to me,” be advised: it can and it will. And sometimes it happens in the most unlikely of places.
Take this example: it’s a Saturday before Christmas and this person has a busy day filled with errands, shopping, social engagements and other obligations. Say this person had read Ball’s column and firmly agreed with her assessment: that being just a little bit more vigilant has the ability to keep crime at bay. So this crime stopper keeps Ball’s advice in mind throughout the day, going so far as to disguise the presence of shopping bags in the car on the final errand, a trip to Food Lion.
But later in the day, our friend pulls out their wallet only to realize that, while credit and bank cards are intact, every bit of cash had disappeared. The realization was disappointing and frustrating to be sure, but it became even more so when our friend realized the only time the wallet had been left unattended during the day was at church.
That’s right — at church.
Of course, it’s a sad commentary on our society when sacred places aren’t exempt from crime, but we can all do ourselves a favor and take Ball’s advice, even in the most unlikely of places.