The stories are plentiful this time of a year — a shopper returns to their car to drop off their holiday loot, go back into the store to get more, and then return later to find their window smashed and their new items gone.

And while the Manteca Police Department plans to do everything in its power to prevent this from happening, the agency is encouraging people to take simple steps to prevent the likelihood that they’re targeted by thieves in the first place.”

“The Manteca Police Department is dedicated to decreasing the number of auto burglaries in our community,” the agency said in a release about holiday safety tips. “While we will have extra patrols out during the holiday season to address this issue, there are some steps you can take to limit the chances you are victimized.”

Those steps include:

*Not leaving valuables in plain sight in your vehicle.

*Not leaving electronic equipment, such as video games, computers, tablets, and phones, inside of your vehicle.

*Parking in well-lit areas.

*Knowing the serial numbers to the electronic devices that you own so that if they are stolen, they can more easily track down the items.

While keeping electronics out of your vehicle entirely is not always possible, the department does encourage people who must leave electronics out of sight in their vehicle to make sure that the Bluetooth mode is turned off.

“Thieves can use scanners or apps that locate Bluetooth items even if they’re locked in the trunk,” the agency’s release said. “These scanners can also identify the type of device emitting the signal, like AirPods or an iPad.”

While most thefts are crimes of convenience and opportunity, authorities say that the best way to prevent from being victimized is to make sure that you don’t create the opportunity or the convenience.

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.