The El Cerrito Community Council will not hold a December community meeting. They do nevertheless have some important information to pass along.

El Cerrito Community Relations Officer, Josh Cummings, passed on the following information on holiday safety and community requests for more police patrols if anyone is concerned about a street or business.

Patrol information is available at: sandiego.gov/police/services/request-additional-patrol

The holiday season typically sees an increase in criminal activity, so here are some of the main reminders to help keep your holidays safe, calm, merry & bright:

* Thieves are often opportunists, they walk down a street, look into car windows and try all car doors, or walk up to a home and try the front door. A locked door moves them along. Don’t make it easy for them.

• Lock your house’s front door, even when you are at home.

• Remove everything from your car and lock the doors when parked.

• Do not have packages left on the porch; arrange for delivery to be out of sight or to a neighbor’s home.

• Keep bikes and scooters out of sight.

• If you will be out of town, have your mail placed on a vacation hold – easy to do with a quick visit to the post office.

• Take note of cars and individuals acting suspiciously and write down license plates and descriptions. There are all kinds of delivery vehicles for just about everything – packages, groceries, food, etc. – which makes it easier for thieves to hide in plain sight.

• If you are hosting a gathering at your home be sure you meet everyone coming in so you will recognize new faces later.

• When shopping, do not leave purses unattended; notice people around you; take a minute and ask for an escort to your car if you feel uneasy about anything or anyone.