JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — Action News Jax has found more businesses in Jacksonville Beach have been burglarized this year than all of last year.
Numbers from the Jacksonville Beach Police Department show 35 burglaries so far in 2017 and there were 31 burglaries in 2016.
Action News Jax crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson said that number is likely to increase because of the upcoming Christmas season.
“It’s the season for giving,” said Jefferson. “However, it’s also a season for stealing.”
Jefferson said for many criminals, it’s their most desperate time of year.
He said during the busy holiday shopping season, businesses may be keeping more cash than they normally would.
“People are in desperate situations and sometimes they do desperate things,” Jefferson said.