Crime Stoppers wishes you a safe and happy holidays. With the St. Croix Carnival in full swing, here are some basic common-sense tips to follow to avoid becoming a victim:

Protect Yourself and Your Identity: We often think that it won’t happen to us, but we don’t awake to the possibilities around us until we become a victim of a crime, including identity theft and other related cybercrimes.

The Fast Hands of a Pickpocket: Pickpockets love big crowds so they can blend in before committing a crime and hide out afterward. Usually operating in groups of two or more, they will steal from a victim and hand off their booty to an accomplice.

Exposing Your Cell Phone: When you walk around with your cell phone sticking out of your back pocket, you make yourself an easy target. Before you can feel the removal of your phone, the pickpocket has already handed it off to his accomplice, leaving you as a helpless victim.

Protect Your Vendor Identity: Vendors in the Carnival Village and elsewhere, keep your important papers visible but secure. Don’t display them so close to the counter that identity thief may reach over and tear it from the wall. The thief may not want your permit, but all your important personal and/or business information that is contained in it.

Repairing Identity Theft: If you suspect someone has stolen your identity, act quickly to limit the damage is key.

Take a deep breath, and then place a fraud alert on your credit file, order your credit reports and call the FTC to report the crime.

Step up and be part of the solution. Tell us what you know about any crime, at www.CrimeStoppersUSVI.org or by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or by texting “USVI” plus your message to CRIMES (274637).