Tis the season to be jolly. Unfortunately, it's also the season to keep your cell phone, purse and wallet as close as you can -- no matter if you're in the mall or riding Metro.
Robberies at Metro stations are up 17 percent over the same period a year ago. Metro Transit Police have been increasing patrols based on crime at specific stations. They say the majority of robberies happen inside trains or on station platforms.
Thieves are mostly looking for cell phones and iPods.
"Even though nationwide we're seeing crime has decreased, robberies are still increasing," said Mitch Dowdy of Metro Transit Police.
Though the holiday numbers aren't out yet, if you take a look at Metro's most recent crime report, by the end of October there were 823 robberies along the system. That's compared with 701 during the same months last year.
But no matter where you are, you can take some tactics to protect yourself. Though they might seem fairly simple, they're also concepts that seem to slip our minds during holiday chaos. Transit Police remind us to keep our purses close -- and closed. They also say to always stand in well-lit areas, and be alert. Keep iPhones or other expensive items out of sight.
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