TULSA -- As the time to finish holiday shopping dwindles, the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office is stepping up their patrols.
TCSO has two security towers in the Woodland Hills Mall parking lots. One is located between Macy's and Dillards. The other is outside of JC Penny.
"It's kind of a deterrent," Deputy Justin Green with the sheriff's office said. "People see them and know they are being watched."
One deputy called the towers some of their best resources. They give law enforcement a bird's eye view of the parking lot from 35 feet in the air to spot suspicious activity.
Even when no one is manning the tower, they can still be monitored remotely using the cameras on the outside of it.
"We have a cooperation with mall security as well as we partner with TPD, especially at this time of the year," Deputy Green said.
If they notice suspicious activity, deputies will get in touch with law enforcement on the ground who will handle it and solve the crime. TPD and TCSO have deputies patrolling inside of the mall.
But the sheriff's office said they do not see a large uptick in crime in the parking lots during the holidays. They believe it is because of their proactive approach.
Deputies encourage shoppers to be proactive too. They said not to leave anything in plain sight in the car and to park in well-lit areas.
Often times, deputies see people parking next to their security towers.
"I think it makes people feel a little more at ease when they are out shopping knowing that someone is watching out for them," Deputy Green said.
The sheriff's office put the towers out before Black Friday and will keep them up until after the first of January.
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