The busy holiday shopping season is upon starting tomorrow morning - for some it may even be tonight - and local authorities are reminding of the things to do to stay safe during the hustle and bustle.

Clinton Police Chief Ben Lowers admits that with the advancements made in online shopping and the holiday deals that are sometimes online exclusives, the days of the packed shopping centers have faded in recent years, but he still encourages getting out and supporting those local businesses.

If you are headed out to that local shopping outlet for that purchase that the online shopping cannot fulfill, Chief Lowers encourages using caution, knowing where you parked, and making haste to your vehicle upon exiting that store or shopping center.

Especially if you're headed to larger shopping centers, shop in pairs and conceal those purchases when they end up inside the vehicle.

As for online shopping, Chief Lowers indicates there can be a lot of pitfalls for shoppers looking for that great deal on an item, and also for those individuals who become susceptible to fraud and other forms of online theft.

Other things to consider from Chief Lowers include keeping a record of what you've purchased and making sure those match your banking records.

The Chief encourages residents to come out of the Clinton Christmas parade next month as well.