St. Louis police are urging Cardinals fans heading downtown to plan ahead — and keep a close eye on who’s taking their money in the parking lots.

ST. LOUIS — St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Cpt. Christian Stamper is urging Cardinals fans heading to tomorrow’s game to think ahead — about traffic, parking, and personal safety. With a 3:15 p.m. first pitch, police say the timing creates an unusual challenge for the city’s roads.

“We would tell everyone that there could be increased traffic obviously, the game is at 3 o’clock so it could affect rush hour,” Stamper said.

Beyond the congestion, Stamper is putting fans on notice about a scam that burned people last year — fake parking attendants who set up near vacant lots close to the stadium, collected cash, and disappeared.

“If you are parking on a lot that doesn’t necessarily look well maintained and someone is charging you 20 dollars and they don’t have a vest or identification on them — to be a little bit cautious of that,” he said.

Police say officers will be patrolling those areas with a critical eye on who is selling lot space near the stadium. Stamper recommends drivers stick to paid lots that look well maintained and have clearly marked, identifiable attendants on site. He also encouraged fans to keep valuables out of sight in their vehicles, or better yet, leave them at home altogether.

Stamper also spoke to broader safety concerns, telling fans to stay aware of their surroundings — a message he said is especially important right now.

“Given some of the things that are happening across the country and in the world — that if anybody sees something suspicious, that they say something. Alert an officer that they may see on the street, or call 911 if they see something that looks out of place or out of the ordinary,” he said.

Fans can expect a visible police presence both around Busch Stadium and on Metrolink. Stamper confirmed officers on bike patrol will also be working the area throughout the game.

St. Louis police says it learned from last year’s parking lot incidents and will have officers specifically watching known vacant lots in the stadium footprint for anyone attempting the same scheme. Stamper’s bottom line for fans: plan early, park smart, and speak up if something feels off.

See something suspicious? Alert a nearby officer or call 911.