Police increase presence around shopping centers for holiday season

BEDFORD, Mass. — Police are always on the lookout for crime, and at no time of year is that more prevalent than during the holiday season.

Bedford Police Officer Tom Devine took our Erica Ricci for a ride-along as he patrolled some of the main shopping centers in town.

"My head's on a swivel when I'm driving,” he said.

One thing that caught Devine’s attention Monday night was an idling car outside a bank.

"What's the first thing in your mind, oh, the guy's just hopping out  to use the ATM, I think the worst case scenario, I think it's a getaway car waiting for the jamokes that are in there chatting with the customers sliding them a note saying give me all the money,” he said.

Fortunately that wasn’t the case, but knowing what police are looking out for could make you reconsider an innocent act like that.

The ultimate goal, is to get the would-be criminals to think twice too.

"If one person in a police officer uniform can deter some crime then I think that's pretty good, we're doing our job,” he said.

In Bedford, additional officers have been added to each shift during the holiday season; some in cruisers, some on foot, some in plain clothes. It's part of Operation P.A.C.E.- Pro-active Community Enforcement.

"Some of them might even look disheveled so you might be surprised who's on the job and who's not,” Devine said.

Customers said it helps put their minds at ease.

"I've actually been in the store before when shoplifting has occurred. So definitely that they're putting more police on around the plazas makes you feel much more safe,” Joan Palazzo said.

Cox Media Group