Crimes happen all year round. While the statistics back up this statement, it helps to know which seasons attract an upsurge in specific sectors of the criminal element and the best ways to avoid their intent.
Whether the weather is freezing cold or boiling hot, you don’t want to be a victim, so knowing which crimes to prepare for more, for example, in summer than in the fall, can help you and your loved ones avoid those out to cause harm or mischief and buck the seasonal crime trend.
Which Seasons Are Worst for Crime?
Your logic likely already tells you more crimes happen during the warmer months, and it is not misguided. Both violent crimes and property-related crimes escalate in the warmer months — national homicide occurrences seem to peak in May through August.
Robberies and burglaries followed a similar pattern but extended to October, but sex-based offenses and vehicle thefts are common throughout the year.
1. Spring’s Criminal Awakening
Assault, stalking, rape, trespassing and burglary rates all begin climbing in March, with many crimes coinciding with the beginning of spring break. You may know the association between spring break and escalating student drinking and drug use — both are relevant factors in why crimes of most types begin climbing.
Make no error — students aren’t the only criminal element, but spring break can account for many first-time criminals. Fraudulent home improvement and renovation “reps” often use the spring months to hoodwink residents with their offers.
Spring Precautions
Spring is a fabulous time to be outdoors, but you must take precautions to protect your family and your belongings. Make your children aware of the dangers of spring crimes before they go out, stressing responsibility and moving about with groups of friends. If you’re out on the town yourself, stay alert — keep your earbuds in your pocket.
When busy in the front yard, lock your rear doors and windows to limit access to your home. If you go inside for refreshment, lock your car and garage first. Should a salesperson make contact or approach you unannounced, verify their legitimacy with a phone call to the company they represent. If they don’t provide a number, ask them to leave immediately. When dusk arrives, secure your home from potential home invaders or burglars.
As winter ends, consider installing video surveillance in time for spring, especially in areas where pedestrians can view your yard and home. If you have a significant property boundary, a perimeter patrol helps you identify any security issues you could improve on.
2. Summer’s Crime Escalation
As much as springtime triggers the rise in annual crime rates, the warmer weather and longer daylight during summer make it an active season for criminals. There are higher trespassing and violent crime rates, as hotter outdoor weather conditions encourage impulsive activity from the criminal element. July is traditionally the month when U.S. violent crimes soar.
If you get frustrated, you know how you reach boiling point quicker in sweltering conditions than in frosty winter temperatures. It’s the same with most people, with frustration leading to anger and anger to rage — road rage, assault, and even murder can follow. Of course, as the summer sun encourages more socializing and public alcohol consumption, your risk of encountering violent crime escalates even further.
While you run these crime risks on vacation, your house stands empty. With so many people away over the summer, vacant residences encourage those with ulterior motives to act. If you stay home, you may have left your car unlocked in your driveway with its windows open — a welcoming call for a potential passing car thief. With so many open vehicles and unoccupied houses, summer is like winning the lottery for many criminals.
Summer Precautions
By paying a little extra attention to your security — personal and property — you’ll avoid becoming part of the nation’s summer crime statistics. Installing a top-class security system provides a deterrent to would-be intruders. A loud alarm siren coupled with cameras with recording capabilities means you can chase many trespassers away and have a way of identifying them.
If you’re vacationing, limit the people you tell of your plans, and arrange for a trusted housesitter or at least a neighbor to switch your lights on and off and check your property daily. Keep your yard and perimeter lit with motion sensor LEDs, and trim your yard vegetation to reduce potential hiding places. Doing so means that, should there be a disturbance while you’re away, your neighbors can identify movements and notify your security company or the police.
Those who spend the summer at home in a high-crime zone should ensure they can protect themselves and their families from an internal security breach. Have an alternative evacuation plan for untimely extreme situations, restrict the visibility of external equipment and lock all you can away.
As an extra precaution, keep all interior valuables hidden from domestic workers, contractors and the pool guy — many burglaries and home invasions have links to insider knowledge. They may not have bad intentions themselves, but others they talk to about your space or those who overhear might.
3. Fall’s Crime Irritations
Fall’s emptier streets before nightfall mean those still present have an excellent opportunity for nefarious activities with fewer observing eyes on them. This season is regularly when opportunistic criminals take advantage of the cooler weather and earlier darkness. Plus, all the leaves on the ground may obscure their escape routes.
You might call autumn’s crime spike irritating, with minor crimes — in context — like vandalism or loitering with intent claiming the center stage. Holidays like Halloween encourage mischief-makers, but every incident starting as fun for the perpetrators can result in more sinister and sometimes devastating results.
You should not let down your guard at any time of the year. Your home and family’s security is paramount, and the advent of fall won’t eliminate the chances of isolated violent crime incidents or the risk of burglaries or home invasions. You must not let up on your precautionary security measures.
Fall Precautions
Check your yard and perimeter lighting and make adjustments where necessary. The threat you’re combating is different but perhaps more directly relevant than in the summer — your family is now home, not on vacation, so your safety should take precedence over safeguarding your possessions. While doing both is imperative, focusing your motion sensors and video surveillance on the open areas of your yard and your house’s perimeter and access points allows for better vision of those intent on breaching your direct residence.
As the light fades, you want quicker and easier access to your property from outside. Including biometric controls at your entrances means there’ll be no delays when entering, minimizing the risk of an unseen criminal approaching your vehicle. During the fall, also take time to check and maintain your backup systems to avoid any mishaps once winter arrives in earnest.
4. Winter’s False Sense of Security
Although some criminals treat the winter months as their time off, relax your security measures and awareness during the coldest season at your peril. Crime rates escalate over this festive season due to the increase in shopping, as people are buying many more items than usual to give as gifts. Because the holidays are a generous time, they may also be hoping to score something expensive.
Property crimes escalate over winter, so you must secure your property and belongings like you would at any other time of the year. Realistically, you should do so wherever you live due to the nature and intent of criminals. Avoid complacency — the sense of security winter builds is not necessarily accurate.
Winter Precautions
The personal security measures implemented in the fall should suffice in winter, with a few minor adjustments. If you’re in a snowy climate, be aware of how winter’s heavy fog or snow further reduces visibility, so change your surveillance camera angles for optimal coverage. Additional perimeter patrols by you or your security company — especially over the festive season — can reduce the impact of potential property crime.
Pay heed to how, although the chances of physical crime can diminish, winter is a prime time for those indulging in nefarious cyber activities. Keep updated on the latest phishing activities and cybercrimes to build awareness of scammers and hacking attempts. Digital criminals are as prevalent in society as many others.
Crime Patterns Differ With the Seasons
With these seasonal insights, you can distinguish which criminal intent and activity areas relate most to the upcoming time of year. While violent crime may impact the summer months more, with property criminals proportionately more active in winter, the nature of crime and those who commit it remains constant.
The best way to protect your family and possessions while combating these elements is to stay vigilant of all threats throughout the year. In the sun and rain or wind and snow, if somebody chooses to commit a crime, you should be ready to counter their actions.
