With an increase in holiday shopping comes a higher incidence of burglary and related crimes this time of year. Ocala Police Department Sergeant Chas Maier says leaving visible valuables in your car invites the potential for theft. He says they will have more patrols focused on keeping holiday shoppers safe this time of year, but there is still a high potential for crime.
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He says people also need to be careful to protect their pin numbers and other sensitive financial information. Maier says even crimes like domestic abuse often spike this time of year, but the department will continue to work to keep area residents safe.