It’s holiday time and as Peter Herman with the Baltimore Sun reports, it’s time for law enforcement to start issuing mass warnings about everything from locking your bags in your trunk to leaving your lights on at home when you leave the house. But is there really a peak in theft related crimes over the holidays or is this just a fallacy?
Interestingly, despite the belief that everything from theft to domestic violence peak over the holidays, the statistics tell another story.
With regard to car break-ins, one of those offenses we commonly hear the news and police agencies warning about, there were 57 such crimes in 2009 over a week’s time period including the busiest shopping day of the year—Black Friday. In August of that same year, there were 178 of those break-ins.
Similarly, domestic violence crimes are thought to rise over the holidays when stress is high and finances are often stretched thin. But, according to the Md. Network Against Domestic Violence, November and December 2009 were the two months with the lowest domestic violence complaints.
Despite the numbers telling a different story, the police will likely continue to send out their holiday warnings, with local news stations doing the same sort of thing. Keep your shopping bags in your trunk, never leave your house dark when out of town, and remember to be vigilant on the crowded roadways!
One criminologist states that larcenies do spike over the December month, however, leaving some questions about the trend and the warnings. Also, the roadways do seem to become deadlier as the number of people traveling increases.
With such conflicting data and opinions, maybe the police are right—better safe than sorry. And if you are one of those people who stands on the other side of the law, accused of committing holiday thefts or even being charged with a DUI after a holiday party, know a criminal defense attorney can help.
Whether you are facing reckless driving charges or assault—contact us today for a free consultation on your case.
Leave a Reply