What’s the best way to protect your presents?

It’s the time of year when shoppers are out in full force, and the bargains they score are wrapped and presented to happy recipients.

Unfortunately, over time some of those gifts could be lost to property crimes such as garage and vehicle break-ins or a theft of opportunity. A proactive approach and some planning now could help victims of theft reclaim their stolen property, or even prevent a crime in the first place.

“Whenever a police officer is investigating a property crime, we try and get as specific as possible,” Great Falls Police Sgt. Jim Wells says.

The investigating officer asks for a detailed description of the item. One of the most desired pieces of information is the serial number.

“Unless you have an identifying mark or serial number, it’s hard to know for sure if an item is yours,” said Charles Conley, who owns the area pawn shop chain Alias Smith and Jones Pawn.

There are databases that use serial numbers to track items that have been reported stolen. Conley said employees at his stores enter the serial numbers of valuables they receive into one of those databases each night.

Identifying marks or a serial number also come in handy when law-enforcement officers discover large quantities of stolen items.

In the recently settled property crime case against Robert Paliga, authorities found what they called a “warehouse” of missing items in the defendant’s home. Much of that property was returned, according to statements made in court.

One way to log relevant information is to use a smartphone camera to take pictures of all the serial numbers and include a clear description of the item in the title. Keep digital or hard copies of the photos together in a safe place. Backing the information up on a flash drive or cloud storage account is a smart move, in case the device storing the originals is lost or stolen.

Some of the most commonly stolen items are power tools and other valuables stored in a garage or vehicle’s tool box; small electronic items that are taken from place to place; or other valuables kept in a vehicle. Bicycles are also reported stolen fairly frequently and officers say the owners rarely know the bike’s serial number.

Also make sure belongings are secured.

“Just make sure everything gets locked up,” Conley said, “as simple as that seems.”

Despite the best intentions, people sometimes forget to take the necessary steps to prevent a crime in the first place. Things happen. The garage door is left open, the car doors don’t get locked or a would-be criminal finds an opportunity through some other means.

A proactive approach to property crime is not a guarantee that lost or stolen merchandise can be recovered.

Stolen items are tracked by pawn shop employees and the person providing the merchandise must also provide identification and register with the pawn shop. Conley notes his stores have a policy in place to refuse items missing serial numbers.

“It doesn’t do us any good to knowingly take a stolen item,” he says, adding that less than 1 percent of items brought to his 1st Avenue South location have been confiscated as stolen in the last decade.

The watchful eyes of pawn shop employees may lead those looking to sell stolen goods through methods less likely to be tracked. But that doesn’t mean taking a detailed inventory of valuables is a waste of time.

“It never hurts to be prepared,” Wells said.

A proactive approach to property crime

Secure all valuables

•Lock the doors to your home, vehicle and garage.

•Disable overhead garage doors during out-of-town trips if possible.

•Use sturdy padlocks.

•Don’t leave items in view in a vehicle.

•Mark or engrave common items with a name or other identifiable information.

Inventory items of value

•Take photos of serial numbers.

•Write serial numbers on the item’s sales receipt if you have it.

•Keep a detailed list of items and descriptions in a safe place.

•Back up inventory information.