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JSO gears up for spike in crime during the holidays

Crimes of opportunity are on the rise.

Christmas decorations aren’t the only things lighting up the night, this December.  All over town, you might see flashes of red and blue.

“During the holiday season, we typically do see an increase in crime,” said Scott Dingee, assistant chief of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office's investigations division. “We as an agency put extra officers on the street. We have extra officers come in to work off-duty overtime assignments to assist us in providing security to the community.”

Dingee made the comments at a press briefing after an officer shot and killed a suspect who allegedly robbed a food delivery worker at gunpoint in Mandarin Wednesday.

It’s something he says officers and victims see more of during the holidays.

“Crimes of opportunity,” Dingee said.

Not all crimes around the holidays involve firearms.  JSO sees everything from car break-ins to packages being stolen off front porches. The department urges families to be on the lookout.

“We ask that the citizens keep track of where they are, what their surroundings are, what’s going on around them," Dingee said.  "Don’t hesitate to call 911 if there’s suspicious activity.”

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