Outside temperatures are up and so is criminal activity in Emporia. Welcome to summer.
Lyon County Crimestoppers has been asking for public assistance in solving more than 80 cases of vandalism reported since schools dismissed for the summer.
“We’ve just seen the increase in the summer that we don’t have in the winter,” said Deputy Police Chief Mike Williams. “There’s nothing out of proportion by any means.”
Summer-type crimes have been slower in the county, after a small flurry of break-ins at the end of the school year.
“I’m banging on wood,” said Lyon County Sheriff Gary Eichorn, more satisfied with that good fortune than a knock would express. “... We’ve had a burglary once in a while. There were some arrests made here in town, seems like maybe it stopped some of that. Things have been pretty decent. We haven’t had it like they’ve had in the city.”
With more people on the city streets and more activities and events going on, a bump in some crimes can be expected, Williams said.
“There are more alcohol-related calls always in the summertime,” Williams said. “It seems like, in my mind, more domestic calls in the summertime. And as it gets hotter, it seems to me that things like that kick up.”
This time of year, police also expect to see more reports of criminal damage to property, thefts and gas drive-offs.
“We always see more car burglaries,” Williams added. “We have to take a report on every one of them. By the time we get it, several hours have passed.”
In the rush of summertime, it is easy to become complacent or forget about property that can be protected with a little effort.
“Everybody’s on the go and they’re running 100 miles per hour. They might get out of the car at 7 o’clock at night and it’s still daylight, and they just don’t think about going back” to retrieve valuables from their vehicles, Williams said.
The majority of auto burglaries, which often happen overnight, go unnoticed until morning, hours after the crime was committed.
“There may be a pattern to them, but if you don’t have physical evidence ... it makes it very difficult to solve them,” he said.
Williams said there have been recent cases of auto thefts, including two incidents where keys were left in the cars.
“You give somebody an opportunity, and they’re in the mind to commit a crime, when the opportunity’s there, they’re going to take it, particularly auto burglaries,” he said.
Indiscriminate criminals seem to have no qualms about skulking close to houses and apartments to steal almost anything that has been left out.
“It’s amazing to me, I’ve seen more charcoal grills and lawnmowers stolen,” he said. Lawnmowers often are expensive; charcoal grills are not.
Williams offered several recommendations for keeping property safer from thieves:
F Be more aware of situations, surroundings, and the potential for thefts. “We fight it constantly,” he said. “They leave their valuables in their cars — purses, driver’s licenses, computers, everything you can think of.”
F Take valuables inside. “If there’s nothing for them to steal, there’s no incentive to break into it,” he said.
F Lock houses and apartments.
F Park vehicles in lighted areas or turn on porch and outside lights to deter would-be thieves and vandals.
F Lock vehicles in the driveway at home, as well as in parking lots away from home. “The stereo’s attached. That’s one thing,” he said. “But when you leave the other items in there, it just gives people an opportunity and they take advantage of it.”
F Take note of strangers in the area. “Call us if it doesn’t look right,” Williams said. “We’ve got good people, but the good Lord also provided us with some bad people.”