CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With just 10 days until Christmas, many people are braving traffic, bad weather and long lines to get their shopping done.
“Crazy. I mean this time of year, of course, it will be everybody out trying to get the same thing, looking for the best toys,” shopper Lorenzo Guy said.
[ALSO READ: Holiday shopping tips: How to protect yourself from cyber thieves]
With the crowds can come the threat of thieves. There have been dozens of reported crimes in popular shopping centers just this month, everything from armed robberies and assaults to theft cases.
“I’m very cautious how I approach my vehicle, how I unload and load things and my pattern of travel,” shopper Elaney Katsafanas said.
Channel 9 looked into crimes reported within 1,000 feet of the most popular malls in Charlotte.
In December, SouthPark Mall had the most reported incidents, and 18 out of 20 were shoplifting crimes. Two incidents were fraud.
Northlake Mall had the second most reported incidents, with car break-ins and multiple shoplifting reports. Earlier this week, officials said a man pointed a gun at employees while trying to steal from a store.
[RELATED: Man points gun at employees while trying to shoplift from Macy's at Northlake Mall]
There were no incidents reported at Charlotte Premium Outlets, and no data was available for Concord Mills.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has put up electronic signs outside shopping centers, reminding people to lock their valuables so they don’t become victims of theft.
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Cox Media Group
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