Crime climbs amid holiday cheer

Published 9:14 pm Wednesday, November 22, 2006

“Don’t rest ye merry gentlemen,

Be on your guard today,

For thieves are out to steal the gifts,

You bought for Christmas day”



But thieves are not just out for your gifts, they’ll steal your money and your credit cards, too, local law enforcement officials say.

“People are out shopping during the holidays and a lot of people do become very careless and you have others preying on that opportunity,” said Whitfield County Sheriff Scott Chitwood.

Every holiday season, police warn that while holiday cheer is rampant, so is crime. The numbers back up those warnings.

Dalton police reported 144 thefts and 31 burglaries in December of last year. In January of this year, those numbers dropped to 109 thefts and 20 burglaries.

During all of this year, 109 has been the highest number of thefts for a single month, while burglaries topped out at 23 in March.

“Very easily our numbers would show a slight increase (during the holidays),” Chitwood said.

On the Dalton Police Department blog, www.daltonpdblog.org, officers advise to not only take steps to secure your home and personal belongings but to make sure you safeguard your credit cards, personal identification information and bank information.

“A lot is based on pure common sense and self-awareness of your surroundings,” Chitwood said. “Park in well-lit areas if that is possible. Put your packages in your trunk. Lock your car. Have your keys out and ready to get in your car. Lock your doors upon entering your vehicles.”

Most local shopping centers have extra security during the holidays.

Dalton’s Walnut Square Mall contracts with a private security company, said mall manager Natalie Faulkner.

“They (security officers) are always here during mall shopping hours and they are always willing to walk out with you to your car,” Faulkner said.

Wal-Mart on East Walnut Avenue has a private security company patrolling its parking lot, said store manager Trace Albritton.

“The traffic increases at this time of the year and therefore you have an increase in theft,” Albritton said.

And since most retailers have more employees in the stores during the holiday season, more people are on the lookout for thefts, said Steve Allen, manager of the Cleveland Highway Kmart.

“We just have more personnel in the store,” Allen said. “By offering good customer service, that helps.”

Cindy Ray, manager of Market Street Shops of Dalton, declined to comment on that shopping center’s security arrangements.



Statistics from Dalton Police Department



Burglaries:

December 2005: 31

January: 2006: 20

February 2006: 15

March 2006: 23

April 2006: 15

May 2006: 21

June 2006: 19

July 2006: 13

August 2006: 15

September 2006: 19

October 2006: 16



Thefts:

December 2005: 144

January: 2006: 109

February 2006: 66

March 2006: 77

April 2006: 66

May 2006: 90

June 2006: 90

July 2006: 98

August 2006: 100

September 2006: 94

October 2006: 106