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Think twice before putting that bumper sticker on your car, police say

Police say there's no need to remove all your stickers. But they do encourage you to think about the kind of information you're sharing.

CHAPIN, S.C. — Everyone knows bumper stickers as cute, decorative decals that show your personality on the outside of your car, but local police warn you shouldn't be too specific with those details. 

Chapin police chief Thomas Griffin said some of those bumper stickers could set you up as a target.

"These are things such as your child's name, the sports that they're involved in, maybe the church that you go to, maybe the neighborhood that you're a part of, maybe the hobbies that you like to do," Griffin said. 

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For example, if a bumper sticker shows your hobbies, that could tell the criminal what types of things are in your car. 

"Granted, a lot of our personal information is already out there in the day and age of the internet, but if you're advertising that information, you could potentially set yourself up to be a victim," Griffin said. "A lot of crimes are a crime of opportunity, so when these criminals see these things, they act at the opportunity presented to them."

Police say there's no need to remove all your stickers, but that it's something to be mindful of when sharing personal information. 

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