Crime rate increases during the winter visitor season

The Yuma Police Department (YPD) sees an increase in crime rates during the fall months.

YPD said the crime rates also rise when winter visitors make their way back to Yuma from the east coast.

“We will see an average of 10, 20, 25 more burglaries reported calls each month of September, October, November time frame,” said Sgt. Lori Franklin.

In the summer months, an officer is not notified of the crimes because those who are getting burglarized are not in the area to report it.

“It’s the same thing that happens every year because they know the exact time when these people leave for months,” said Sgt. Franklin.

Sgt. Franklin encourages the community to use the Lexius Community crime map to track the flow of crimes in your neighborhood and stresses the importance of the buddy system before leaving your home.

Sgt. Franklin said that traffic accident also increases during the fall because of the population in Yuma doubles.