KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Tellico Village resident Sandra Nichols prefers shopping West Knoxville's Turkey Creek when the sun is still out.

"It's less crowded," she says.

"I never think about it for safety, but I do not like to be out at night by myself."

"I don't like to shop late, at night either," says Corryton resident Jessica King.

Knoxville Police believe it's no coincidence that the man they believe responsible for three robberies -- Jonas Kim Greenman, 30, chose to strike PF Chang's China Bistro, a Days Inn, and a Quizno's Sub shop, late at night, when few would be around to see him or stop him.

"Criminals are weighing risks and rewards," says police spokesman Darrell DeBusk.

"This time of year, so many crimes are crimes of opportunity."

"I'm not really worried about it, I figure I could protect myself," says
shopper Taylor McElroy.

"There's lots of things in the cars, and you just have to be cognizant of how you put it in there," Ms.Nichols says.

But tinted windows, covered cargo areas, and automobile alarms offer only so much protection.

"If I'm sitting you watching you put those packages back in your car, and you go back in, I'm thinking you're gonna be gone for a couple more hours shopping again," DeBusk says.

"Get in your car, move, change to a different location in the parking lot."

"How do they pick those people out," Ms. Nichols asks.

They'd have to be watching us. So maybe anybody would be at risk."

This time of year, officers say, we all should assume--we all are.