TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) -- The holiday season is a time where children are off from school, people are going shopping and people are gathering together with their families.
But sometimes, these exact factors can lead to a higher frequency of certain crimes during this part of the year.
"We see a good bit more shoplifting. We see a lot more burglaries. We try to encourage people to be smart; to not put valuables in plain sight in their vehicles. Ladies, put your purses in the trunk," said Lieutenant Marty Mask of the Tupelo Police Department.
Mask also said that car break-ins along with home break-ins also happen during the holiday season.
And sometimes domestic disputes occur when families get together and DUIs occur during celebrations.
"I don't know if the kids are out of school, folks are off of work and I don't know if that's a part of it. But families get together and fuss and fight a little bit, and we see a little bit more of that. And, of course, we're always out there looking for drunk drivers. We encourage folks to use designated drivers, and we look for those drunk drivers to keep the streets safe," said Mask.
Mask also said that officers still enjoy the holidays with their families; they just schedule around the times they're on duty.
