Flower Mound police stepping up patrols in shopping areas

The Flower Mound Police Department will have additional officers patrolling retail shopping areas in town through Christmas Eve.

The busy Christmas shopping season is popular for sticky-fingered individuals looking to steal new purchases and other valuables from vehicles. FMPD increased its patrol in retail parking lots on Black Friday and will continue through Christmas Eve for last-minute shoppers.

Police urge residents — whether they’re parked in front of their house or in a retail parking lot — to always lock their car doors and take or hide anything of value. Many car burglars just try car doors until they find an unlocked one or peer through windows looking for items of value.