With spring in full swing and the hot weather associated with the summer months waiting right around the corner, it should be no surprise to local residents that crime and break-ins will start to increase as the weather heats up and tourist season begins.
Saratoga Springs Police Lt. Gregory Veitch said traditionally as soon
as the winter weather breaks, the department starts to see an increase
in crime, especially crime involving property like car larceny and
burglaries.
"This type of a rise in property crime is usually a result of people leaving the windows in their cars and homes open, and burglars taking advantage of the warmer weather to prowl around neighborhoods under the cover of darkness," Veitch said.
To avoid such situations, Veitch recommends that residents secure their homes and cars, leave exterior lights around homes on at night, keep homes free from bushes where burglars can hide, leave a television on in the home if you decide to leave the house for the evening, leave curtains open so law-enforcement and neighborhoods can see inside if they suspect anything suspicious and alert neighbors when you are going to be away on vacation.
Home burglaries are especially prevalent during Saratoga's popular horse racing season, which brings in hundreds of thousands of visitors from all across the region and country each year.
"Tourism in Saratoga County is a significant industry and we have hundreds of thousands of people visiting the area during the summer, so unfortunately the crime rate increases because of tourism," Murphy said.
He added that often times burglaries rise during track season because criminals are aware that people renting homes are at the track during the day and they feel jewelry and money has been left unprotected in the homes.
Aside from a rise in burglaries, Murphy said he also sees a rise in felony assault cases and drug activity during the summer season.
"We see a large number of these cases during the summer months," Murphy said. "They usually take place between the hours of midnight and 4 a.m. when nothing good ever seems to happen."
One of the ways both Veitch and Murphy said people can work to prevent an increase in crime during the summer months is to get involved in a neighborhood watch group in your community or by starting a watch group if one doesn't already exist.
"We do have neighborhood watch groups in a number of areas in the city and we are always willing to work with any neighborhood who wants to establish a neighborhood watch group in their area," Veitch said.
Veitch said it is important for these types of community groups and the police to communicate because people who live in a specific neighborhood often know if something is suspicious in the area more so than the police.
"When people are watching out for each other and calling the police when they see something that doesn't quite fit in their neighborhood it is the best way for us to be successful in combating crime, not just in the summer but anytime," Veitch said.
Veitch added that the police department historically increases their staffing levels during the summer months to accommodate the increase in crimes associated with warm weather and track season.
"Even with tight budget constraints hitting the police force this year we do expect to be able to increase our presence as we traditionally have during the summer months," Veitch said.
Murphy added that if you do suspect something suspicious going on in your neighborhood, always notify your local police department and never take the law into your own hands.
"This type of a rise in property crime is usually a result of people leaving the windows in their cars and homes open, and burglars taking advantage of the warmer weather to prowl around neighborhoods under the cover of darkness," Veitch said.
To avoid such situations, Veitch recommends that residents secure their homes and cars, leave exterior lights around homes on at night, keep homes free from bushes where burglars can hide, leave a television on in the home if you decide to leave the house for the evening, leave curtains open so law-enforcement and neighborhoods can see inside if they suspect anything suspicious and alert neighbors when you are going to be away on vacation.
Home burglaries are especially prevalent during Saratoga's popular horse racing season, which brings in hundreds of thousands of visitors from all across the region and country each year.
"Tourism in Saratoga County is a significant industry and we have hundreds of thousands of people visiting the area during the summer, so unfortunately the crime rate increases because of tourism," Murphy said.
He added that often times burglaries rise during track season because criminals are aware that people renting homes are at the track during the day and they feel jewelry and money has been left unprotected in the homes.
Aside from a rise in burglaries, Murphy said he also sees a rise in felony assault cases and drug activity during the summer season.
"We see a large number of these cases during the summer months," Murphy said. "They usually take place between the hours of midnight and 4 a.m. when nothing good ever seems to happen."
One of the ways both Veitch and Murphy said people can work to prevent an increase in crime during the summer months is to get involved in a neighborhood watch group in your community or by starting a watch group if one doesn't already exist.
"We do have neighborhood watch groups in a number of areas in the city and we are always willing to work with any neighborhood who wants to establish a neighborhood watch group in their area," Veitch said.
Veitch said it is important for these types of community groups and the police to communicate because people who live in a specific neighborhood often know if something is suspicious in the area more so than the police.
"When people are watching out for each other and calling the police when they see something that doesn't quite fit in their neighborhood it is the best way for us to be successful in combating crime, not just in the summer but anytime," Veitch said.
Veitch added that the police department historically increases their staffing levels during the summer months to accommodate the increase in crimes associated with warm weather and track season.
"Even with tight budget constraints hitting the police force this year we do expect to be able to increase our presence as we traditionally have during the summer months," Veitch said.
Murphy added that if you do suspect something suspicious going on in your neighborhood, always notify your local police department and never take the law into your own hands.
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