LAS CRUCES - As students and New Mexico State University employees get ready for the holidays, NMSU police are recommending some safety tips for the season:

•Lock your doors and windows to your car, dorm and office, even if you'll just be gone for a minute. This is the shopping season for everyone, including criminals.

•If leaving town for the break, take portable electronics - a favorite with thieves - with you.

•Don't leave valuables visible from your car or home windows, as this can be an invitation to passing criminals. Valuables left in a vehicle should be locked in a trunk or glove compartment.

•Be a careful consumer. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is, especially if being offered over the phone, by a door-to-door sales person, or in a parking lot from the trunk of a car.

•Make sure your car is properly equipped for the weather you might encounter on the road. Make sure tires are in good condition and properly inflated, antifreeze levels are topped off, windshield wipers work, lights work, batteries are in good condition, and there is a blanket or two in the trunk just in case.

•At parties, wash your hands before preparing, serving, or eating food. Keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot and avoid leaving food sitting on tables or counters where they might spoil.

•Use caution when consuming items that were not commercially prepared and packaged, especially if you have food allergies.

•Make

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sure extension cords are not overloaded and unplug them when they are unattended to avoid unattended fires.

•Be careful when using portable heaters, keeping them away from flammable surfaces and unplugging them when unattended. Make sure fireplace ventilation is adequate to avoid buildup of smoke or carbon monoxide inside the building. And install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home and make sure their batteries work.

•Whether out and about or home, report suspicious activity, people and conditions to police or security.