Fairfax County Police Will Be Out With Shoppers, but Still be Safe on Black Friday

Shoppers, be ware while bargain hunting on Black Friday.

FCPD Preparing for Holiday, Black Friday Crime Increase

Police officers will deploy next week in an effort to prevent shoplifting and other crimes; safety tips for shopping during Black Friday.

It’s that time of year again. Consumers will soon be busting down the doors of retail stores everywhere. Unfortunately, the holiday season is the perfect time for criminals to be on the lookout for freebies. People are indulging in holiday shopping, and it’s not uncommon for the crime rate to increase throughout the season. In preparation for the increase in shoppers and crime in the Northern Virginia area, the Fairfax County Police Department will send out their Retail Anti-Theft teams starting next week. “Every holiday season FCPD deploys our Retail Anti-Theft teams,” said Lucy Caldwell, spokeswoman for the department. “These are officers who are assigned specifically to malls and retail outlets throughout our county. Some of these …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (2)

Beat the Crowds During Black Friday

A few tips on beating the traffic while holiday shopping during Black Friday weekend.

This year about 147 million people plan to go shopping during the Black Friday weekend, according to a recent National Retail Federation survey. The survey shows a slight decrease from last year’s 152 million who planned to shop during the same weekend. Specifically, NRF’s survey shows that 71 million said they would shop and another 76 million said they would wait and see what retailers have in-store that weekend. “Though the Black Friday tradition is here to stay, there’s no question that it has changed in recent years; already there is a tremendous amount of excitement and anticipation surrounding retailers’ Thanksgiving and Black Friday promotions,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. With that said, shopaholics everywhere are …

• Photos (3)

Walmart, Other Retailers to Start Black Friday Sales on Thanksgiving Day

Target, Kmart included in turkey day sales. Is it too early to start Black Friday shopping on Thanksgiving Day?

If you have a black belt in Black Friday shopping listen up: Area big-box retailers are gearing up to dazzle bargain hunters even earlier this year—starting Thanksgiving Day, right after you put away the pumpkin pie. Walmart, Target and Kmart are planning all-out holiday shopping assaults. Why doze off in a turkey slump watching football when you can be out taking care of holiday shopping business? Walmart will offer, beginning at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22, holiday gifts for the entire family, while supplies last. That includes an electric scooter for $79, a steam mop for $39 or men's jeans for $9.50. (Why do Mom and Dad always get the boring presents?) Target's deals begin an hour later, at 9 p.m. According to an ad leaked …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Malls Extend Shopping Hours For Black Friday Frenzy

Many stores will open early on Friday.

For many, getting an early start on holiday shopping during the Black Friday weekend is as much a part of the Thanksgiving tradition as turkey and cranberry sauce. This year, the National Retail Federation is expecting 152 million shoppers to take advantage of Black Friday deals. If you're planning on hitting the metro area's malls, here's what you'll need to know. Tysons Corner Center, McLean, Va. Tysons Galleria, McLean, Va. Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax, Va. Ballston Common Mall, Ballston, Va. Westfield Montgomery Mall, Bethesda, Md. White Flint, North Bethesda, Md. Lakeforest Mall, Gaithersburg, Md. Mazza Gallerie, Chevy Chase, D.C. The Shops at Georgetown Park, Georgetown, D.C.

• Photos (1)