Summer is B&E season

Breaking and entering cases are more common in the U.P. in the summer months than they are the rest of the year.

The FBI says July and August have the highest rates of burglaries.

The July and August rates are about 10% higher than in any other month.

But criminals often don’t have to break into a house, a garage or a car.

“It’s a hot topic right now,” Marquette Police Sgt. Ryan Grim said. “We have a lot of car B&E’s. We’re trying to keep an eye on it the best we can. We’ve got bike patrols; we’ve got foot patrols out trying to keep an eye on it, but the best thing people can do is remember to lock their doors.”

Sgt. Grim also says robbery is often about opportunity. A criminal who wants to steal something from a car will often pull on door handles until finding an unlocked one.

The Insurance Information Institute also says nine out of ten home break-ins can be prevented.

If you’re going on vacation, prevention steps can be as simple as stopping mail delivery and not announcing on Facebook that you’re gone.