Holiday crime in Bibb County trending down

December 11, 2020

Peyton Lewis,

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Crime typically increases during the holiday season, but the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office says it’s noticing a different trend.

“It usually just accelerates during the holiday season, because everybody’s in a rush to get gifts for their families,” Captain George Meadows said.

According to daily crime reports from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, holiday burglaries and robberies have dropped significantly from 2019.

From the start of November until December 10 of last year, Bibb County had 50 commercial robberies and burglaries. That number dropped to 35 in 2020. Residential burglaries dropped by nearly 40 percent from last year and street robberies trend down by 50 percent.

Investigator Shaun Bridger says it’s nice to see lower numbers for a change.

“It’s very good especially in these difficult times with COVID and everything that’s going on,” Bridger stated. “But yeah we haven’t seen an uptick in robberies.”

However, as Christmas gets closer, the sheriff’s office wants to remind everyone to stay safe.

“Just stay aware of your surroundings, and just have a plan in place to contact law enforcement in a hurry when you need them,” Bridger said.

Package theft, stealing from stores, breaking into cars or houses, and pickpocketing all make up the most common holiday crimes. Investigator Bridger says a quick check of what’s around you can prevent many of these things from happening.

For those carrying a purse, make sure to zip or snap it shut before going into a store. Bridger advises putting a wallet in a front pants pocket as well.

Captain George Meadows with BSO outreach says anyone can prevent package theft.

“If you’re having something delivered register with the various delivery services,” Meadows explained. “They all have notification programs that you can sign up for, and track when your package will arrive.”

Captain Meadows recommends having a security camera or a trustworthy neighbor watch for your package. Or simply make sure someone waits at home to pick up the package when it arrives.