The holidays bring joy and excitement to many families throughout the area. This is not the only thing that increases during the holiday season. Thefts, burglaries and car break-ins also rise in numbers.

Effingham County Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie reminds everyone to make a diligent effort to lock the doors of homes and vehicles. Also this time of year, many people use storage units to keep their gifts hidden and while these seem safe, there are still thieves who will ruin your holidays by taking the gifts from you.

Recent information developed by the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office has revealed that items have been stolen from these storage units but has yet to be reported. Sheriff McDuffie asks everyone in Chatham, Bryan and Effingham to check their storage units and make sure their items are still inside. The sheriff’s office advises citizens not to wait until Christmas Eve night to find out that items are missing and to contact their local law enforcement agency if a theft has occurred.