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Spring Brings Increase In Crime To Athens County
< < Back to spring-brings-increase-crime-athens-countyAs the warm months roll in, so does the influx of crime in Athens County.
Athens County Sheriff Pat Kelly posted today on his Facebook page encouraging Athens residents to be cautious and take safety precautions.
Kelly says that his main concerns for the crime increase is theft due to easily accessible residences and home repair scams to people working outside on their houses.
He says that as the weather becomes warmer, people leave their window open and are more active.
Kelly also addressed concern for residents who go on vacation and advises them to take certain precautions.
"We encourage residents to leave their key with a trusted person [and] to let my office know and we'll do vacation checks." Kelly says.
In addition to theft, spring also increases the likelihood of repair fraud.
"With the warm weather people start working on their homes and we'll see more scam artists come around trying to do odd jobs," Kelly says."We want people to check out those people who come to their residence and we have a lot of reputable people in our county that do these kinds of works. We'll be more than happy to offer suggestions."
Some of the tips Kelly offers include being wary of anyone who is offering work door to door, especially those in unmarked vehicles, always asking for a contract up-front, and to be cautious if the contract offers a "special price" for signing up that day.
Sheriff Kelly says that these scams mostly affect elderly Athens residents, but he also gives advise to younger residents who may be participating in the upcoming fest season.
"If they're going to have a steady stream of people going through their residence [they should] lock up their valuables, Kelly says." Another thing that allows people to do is come in and case your residence. They may not take anything then but now they know exactly what you have in your residence."