With thousands of guests in Springfield this month for two huge basketball tournaments, the CVB is reminding businesses to help keep our guests and their belongings safe. While Springfield is a safe destination, it is a city and crime does occur.

Encourage your patrons to take safety precautions, such as not leaving items visible in cars, locking car doors, storing valuables in a hotel safe, etc. Here's a list of other tips from the Springfield Police Department's crime prevention site: http://bit.ly/BeSafeSGF.

Businesses are also encouraged to make sure outside lights are in good working order and to keep an eye on parking lots and other areas where crime could occur. If suspicious activity is seen, employees should call 911 and let police handle it rather than approaching someone who may be involved in criminal activity.

By taking precautions, people who are here for the Missouri State High School Activities Association and the National Christian HomeSchool tournaments can avoid mishaps and return home with fond memories of their trip to Springfield.

According to the Lexis Nexis Community Crime Map, burglaries from vehicles occur about eight times a day in Springfield. To see what type of crime happens near your business, check out the map at http://bit.ly/SGFCrimeMapping.