The first day of summer is here! Hopefully you were able to spend a little time out in the sun this weekend. Summer is a great season to spend outside catching up with friends and family, but it also presents new challenges for law enforcement. Today, we take a look at five crimes that tend to increase during the warm summer months.
Typical Summer Crimes
Here are five crimes to keep an eye out for throughout the summer:
1. DUI – Summer nights are perfect for catching your favorite band across town or for checking out some of the main breweries throughout the Twin Cities, but unfortunately people don’t always stay under the legal driving limit. The long summer nights mean people typically tend to stay out later and have one or two more beers, which can put them over the limit. DUIs always seem to spike between Memorial Day and Labor Day. We know this and the police know this, so make sure you always drive sober this summer.
2. Vandalism – School is out for the summer, meaning teens have a lot more free time on their hands. The majority of teens channel this extra free time into sports, a job or bolstering their college resume through volunteer efforts, but some teens end up getting into trouble. Vandalism crimes like defacing property or “teepeeing” houses seem to increase during the summer. A good way for residents to deter vandals is to install a home camera system on your house.
3. Disorderly Conduct – This one goes hand in hand with DUI. The summer weather means more people are outside interacting with one another. When alcohol gets involved, disagreements and fights can occur. Try to remember the motto “Minnesota Nice” this summer to avoid situations where a disorderly conduct arrest could occur.
4. Speeding – Summer is the perfect time for a road trip, because you’re usually blessed with ideal whether. It’s great that you don’t have to worry about snow or ice, but that doesn’t mean you’re safe traveling at excess speeds. There’s typically increased traffic on the roads, so traveling at high speeds can be dangerous. Speeding tickets always spike in the summer because weather hazards that might normally slow us down during other seasons aren’t there. Be smart when you’re behind the wheel this summer.
5. Underage Drinking – Similar to vandalism, when teens have extra time on their hands, inevitably some of them are going to test the limits of their freedom. Calls to our office about underage drinking violations usually increase in June, July and August as teens and college kids enjoy the warm summer months. If you’re a parent, don’t be a party to underage drinking, because you too can be arrested and prosecuted if you provide alcohol to minors.
