Clovis police increase presence at Sierra Vista Mall during holidays

Clovis police will increase patrol around Sierra Vista Mall starting this weekend to lower retail theft and keep shoppers safe during the holiday season.

Overnight patrolling will begin at 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving night and into Black Friday morning. Those will be followed by the regularly scheduled holiday patrols, which include officers, reserves and volunteers in patrol cars, on bikes, on foot and on motorcycles.

Additional police personnel will circulate through parking areas, drive along the retail corridors looking for suspicious activity, and provide extra protection for shoppers in Clovis through Christmas Eve.

On Black Friday stores at Sierra Vista Mall will open at 6 a.m. and a Blackhawk Helicopter will land in the parking lot next to MB2, where Santa will deliver the first gift of Christmas.

The AVOID the 21 Winter Kick-Off will offer hands-on demonstrations with beer goggles, marijuana goggles and cell phones to explain the dangers of driving under the influence and its potential consequences on Black Friday.

Key reminders: put valuables in the trunk, lock cars, park in well-lit areas, be aware of the surrounding area and to use the panic button on keyless entries if necessary.

The public is also encouraged to ask a security guard to escort you to your car and to shop with someone.

Report any suspicious activity 553-324-2800 or 9-1-1 in an emergency.

This story was originally published November 20, 2015 at 8:55 PM with the headline "Clovis police increase presence at Sierra Vista Mall during holidays."