With the holiday season upon us crime is expected to rise steadily. The city of Huntsville has seen crime surge since earlier this month.

On Nov. 15 through Nov. 17 there were zero cases of burglary, while during the same period there were two cases of theft reported by the Huntsville Police Department, according to the Huntsville Item’s police blotter. On Thanksgiving weekend there was an increase with seven cases of theft and four cases of burglary, both vehicle and household, reported.

Huntsville Police Department reported slow and steady increases of both theft and burglary rates.

Five of the reported theft and burglary locations have been in areas associated with student apartments off campus.

The surge of crime could be related to the fact the holiday season is approaching. Students tend to leave their apartments and visit home during the holidays, leaving their apartments empty and potentially vulnerable.

ASecureLife is a news outlet that tests products, conducts research and creates resources that pertain to safety. They say to not indicate publicly when no one is home, which includes social media posts. Instead of posting photos during the holidays while away, waiting to post until getting back from the holiday could make a difference.

Closing curtains and blinds and moving valuables out of sight can make an apartment less intriguing to potential criminals. To prevent mail from building up outside the door while no one is home, people can go online and have USPS hold the mail at the local post office for free for 30 days.

In addition to household crimes, vehicle crimes were also reported to rise over Thanksgiving weekend.

The National Neighborhood Watch suggests that during the holiday season individuals should avoid keeping valuables in their vehicles and remember to lock car doors. The National Insurance Crime Bureau advises people to park only in well-lit areas and make sure their windows are closed.