We are now in the full swing of the holiday shopping season, and although it should be a joyful time of the year, there are those who are looking to wreck the season.

This is because criminals are out to take advantage of situations and ruin the entire holiday spirit.

The region has seen a recent rash of robberies, even to the point where people are willing to walk onto residents’ porches and steal property.

This calls for the need to be cognizant of the potential threats of those who are looking to take advantage of others.

It is always important, especially this time of the year, to protect your home, property, community and, most importantly, your family.

In many cases, the crimes are committed based on mixture of need and simply having the opportunity.

Many feel the pressure, especially around Christmastime, to provide for their family.

Regardless of the reason, however, many other resources are available to help those in need in our communities and resorting to crime is not the answer.

Ultimately, those residents who abide by the law and work hard should not end up being the victim of theft.

Let’s work diligently to help ourselves and our neighbors keep a watchful eye for possible problems while enjoying a safe and crime-free Christmas season.