Police responded to 21 burglaries during the week of spring break, contributing to a trend of increasing holiday burglaries in Columbia.
There were 10 residential burglaries and five commercial burglaries during the week of spring break in 2010. The number rose to 14 residential burglaries and one commercial burglary in 2011.
They were concentrated in mainly north, south and central Columbia. Records do not separate student living from non-student living, the report said.
“There are many causes that increase burglaries, one of which is the economy and the other would be drug abuse,” Columbia Police Department spokeswoman Latisha Stroer said. “Columbia is increasingly growing, however, the number of burglaries throughout the last three years have fluctuated.”
Burglaries also increased during winter break from 70 in 2010, to 73 in 2011 and 74 in 2012.
It is not yet known whether or not there was a correlation between the incidents, Stoer said.
“I don’t know if burglaries will continue to increase or not,” Stroer said. “During winter break and spring break, we had officers working overtime in plain clothes and in uniform throughout the city to help prevent burglaries. The Columbia Police Department put out prevention tips for citizens while they’re away on vacation for those times.”
Tips include leaving lights on, arranging for mail pick-up, locking doors and garage doors and keeping valuables out of sight. The residence should also have the appearance of being inhabited.