VIDALIA — The holidays are considered a time for celebration and abundance, but a burglar could steal more than a little holiday cheer.

In recent weeks two thieves allegedly broke into several cars and residences in Vidalia and Concordia Parish, a downtown Ferriday business burglary ended with the theft of Christmas presents and a elderly Natchez couple was tied up and robbed.

And such a crime wave can be typical this time of year, local authorities said.

Thieves might look at the holiday season as an easy time to get their hands on other people’s things, Vidalia Police Chief Ronnie G. “Tapper” Hendricks said.

“They know people out there have extra things, Christmas presents, in their cars and house,” he said.

Adams County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Jody Waldrop agreed.

“This time of year burglaries go up because thieves do know that people have valuables in their house,” he said.

And while that may be true, Concordia Parish Sheriff Randy Maxwell said many burglaries could be prevented by simple daily diligence.

“Most thieves are extremely lazy, and they take advantage of situations,” he said.

The easiest way to keep someone from taking advantage of a situation is to not present them with that option, and that means locking both your house and car doors, as well as home windows, Maxwell said.

“Lock them, and do it religiously,” he said.

When securing your doors, make sure that they are secured by double-keyed dead bolts, Waldrop said.

It may be tempting to think that just locking your car doors will be enough to deter some thieves, but if they see something they want they will find a way to get it, Hendricks said.

“Leaving a purse sitting on the seat is like leaving bait,” he said.

Another thing that will go a long way to deterring a potential thief is having adequate lighting around the house, Hendricks said.

It is also a good idea to let someone know if you are going out of town.

“Have someone watching your house for you, have your mail picked up and don’t leave any newspapers lying outside,” Waldrop said. “If feasible, leave a radio or television going inside the house.”

It is easy to take it for granted that living in a small community means that the area is crime-free, Maxwell said.

“We get busy, and we get complacent.”