Holiday Crimes

[Sleuth]

Do you have any particular crimes that are more common during the holiday season? In the US, it seems to be bank robberies and domestic vilence, as everyone tries to A) pay for all the gifts and B)Have that perfect family Christmas.
How about the rest of the world?

[Cockney Corner]

Yup, the festive season brings us a rash of drink drivers. And pub fights.And indeed any crime that involves the demon drink.

[JohnKelly]

Hmmm, in my part of the woods the MO on Residential Burgs does change in that whereas during the normal period, Residential Burgs occur mostly during the day but during the holiday period there is an increase in night-time Burgs and this is mainly down to the Residents being away on holidays and leaving their homes in such a way that it is obvious to any crook that the house is vacant during the night, ie over-flowing mail boxes, unmowed lawns and so on.

There is a decrease in vandalism in ordinary residential areas but a increase in vandalism at the holiday resorts, which to me indicates that the little prats are away on holiday with their parents.

Cheers,

JohnKelly
Australia

[ron9572]

Over here, in Western Australia, the holiday season means the weather is hotting up, which means an increase in anything to do with liquor, ie assaults, disorderly conduct etc.

Christmas time also means that the schools are closed which equals an increase in burglaries and shoplifting.

and of course, what would Christmas be without an increase in the number of drink drivers?

I forgot to add, the hot weather over here brings an increase in flashers and other perverts! we have had more incidents in the past month than the other 11 months of the year.

[db80]

we can always bag lots of drink drivers around christmas also domestics and disorders at pubs

burglary goes through the roof aswell

[Sgt Lobster]

Big increase in cash in transit robberies.


Lobster.

[NSWCop]

We have a large increase in the number of persons with mental health issues who suddenly appear out of the woodwork.

And of course the usual arseh*les who are affected by the demon drink and drugs.

Unfortunately, the rate of fatalities on the roads at this time of year also increases!

[mad maori]

Gold Coast, QLD.

More Tourists.

More Street robberys, Thefts, Assaults, Domestics, Car Chases and believe it or not- Deaths.

(We have a large older population that retire here. Its hot here and the family vist the old folk and feed them up and the next thing, there keeling over.)






"Same ****, Different Circus"

[Sleuth]

Mad Maori, that is an interesting point. A Doc at the local ER told me there was an increase in the death rate just after the 1st of the year. He thought many of the elderly hung on so they could live into one more year before giving up. I wondered, but never found out, if there was a spike in the death rate right after the turn of the century?

[Huey14]

Originally posted by Sgt Lobster
Big increase in cash in transit robberies.


Lobster.

We had a huge one here year before last. My company in fact :D

[Sgt Lobster]

Cars nicked off driveways when nuggets leave them defrosting whilst they go and have a well earned cup of tea!


Lobster. :D

[Brushfire]

Originally posted by JohnKelly
Hmmm, in my part of the woods the MO on Residential Burgs does change in that whereas during the normal period, Residential Burgs occur mostly during the day but during the holiday period there is an increase in night-time Burgs and this is mainly down to the Residents being away on holidays and leaving their homes in such a way that it is obvious to any crook that the house is vacant during the night, ie over-flowing mail boxes, unmowed lawns and so on.
Cheers,

JohnKelly
Australia

Interesting how some things are the same around the world. Does Australia have any Neighborhood Crime Watch programs? That's where neighbors get together with the local police and learn ways to prevent crime in their neighborhoods by getting to know your neighbors and having neighbors watch your home while you're away, pick up your mail, report suspicious activity, etc.

Brushfire in Tennessee, USA

[JohnKelly]

Good point Brushfire - and in my part of Australia we do indeed have a pretty strong Neighbourhood Watch Program.

Many Officers do however regard the Neighbourhood Watch Program with a certain degree of negativity and that would be putting it mildly ;)

However, like any other Crime Prevention Program, you get out of it what you put into it.

I use the monthly Neighbourhood Watch meetings to promote household security and safer living in exactly the same way that you have mentioned in your above Post.

Cheers,

[Huey14]

I didn't even know I had one two streets away from me until I saw it on the map at the cop shop.

It needs to be better publisised here.

[Brushfire]

Originally posted by JohnKelly
Good point Brushfire - and in my part of Australia we do indeed have a pretty strong Neighbourhood Watch Program.

Many Officers do however regard the Neighbourhood Watch Program with a certain degree of negativity and that would be putting it mildly ;)

However, like any other Crime Prevention Program, you get out of it what you put into it.

I use the monthly Neighbourhood Watch meetings to promote household security and safer living in exactly the same way that you have mentioned in your above Post.

Cheers,

The Neighbourhood Watch Programs here usually start by a couple of concerned neighbours and are highly encouraged by the PD's here. Usually a couple of neighbours go meet with the Police representative for neighbourhood watch programs to learn how to organize the program, etc. Once they get organized, a metal sign will be put up by the city at the entrance to the subdivision, neighbourhood street, etc. stating that a neighbourhood watch program is in effect. This of course does two things, it tells uninformed or new neighbours about the program and it tells the bad guys we're watching and any suspicious activity WILL be reported.

I went through a Citizen's Police Academy (CPA)in my city which included a segment about neighbourhood watch programs. One of the things the police really drive home about these programs is, always report suspicious activity. They have found that there are people that think they are "bothering" the police if they call something in. The police explain to people that if it raises a suspicion, then follow your instincts and report it, that's what they are there for. One officer talking at the CPA told everyone that they live for the thrill of catching the the bad guy, don't spoil their fun by not reporting something suspicious. Personally, I thought that was a pretty cool way of getting the point across.. :)

[G.W.]

We also had a serious rash of residential B&E's all over our city during the Christmas holidays.
As some have said, that's not unusual. After all, criminals know that everyone's got a lot of new stuff kicking around, and they also know that much of it's going to be electronics.
Unfortunately, that's just part of the holiday package.

[Ex-plod]

There is actually a noticeable increase in the numbers of the "mentally challenged" any time theres a full moon. School premises get hit far more in the holidays than in term time.Guess the little darlings cant stay away.

[Sleuth]

Ex-plod, there was one study that suggested that the increase in "odd" behavior during a full moon was a sort of 'self-fulfilling' thing. Oddballs though they had "permission" to act out during that time. Perhaps this is an old myth given new life.

[Huey14]

Originally posted by Sleuth
Ex-plod, there was one study that suggested that the increase in "odd" behavior during a full moon was a sort of 'self-fulfilling' thing. Oddballs though they had "permission" to act out during that time. Perhaps this is an old myth given new life.

All the Ambos I know believe it, and I never work outside so I can't offer a personal observation.

My Mother is a Victim Support worker and she believes it too. Maybe its got something to do with gravity and all that ****?

[Brushfire]

Originally posted by Sleuth
Ex-plod, there was one study that suggested that the increase in "odd" behavior during a full moon was a sort of 'self-fulfilling' thing. Oddballs though they had "permission" to act out during that time.

It's been around for awhile:

Psalm 121:5-6
The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.
The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.