Effingham County Sheriff’s deputies are trying to put the clamps on criminals who are taking during the season of giving.

A string of pre-Christmas burglaries has deputies and investigators out in force, according to ECSO Detective David Ehsanipoor.

“We’ve stepped up patrols in the neighborhoods,” he said, “and we are taking a pro-active approach. We have extra people on the streets.”

Ehsanipoor noted that more reports of burglaries are typical during the holiday season.

“We’ve seen an increase in the past,” he said.

The hardest hit area this season has been Stillwell, according to authorities. Deputies and investigators are escalating their presence in those areas to deter further burglaries and to track down those responsible for those crimes that have taken place.

“We’ve definitely seen an increase on the northern end,” Ehsanipoor said. “We’re putting extra people on the road. We’re focusing on the neighborhoods and looking for any kind of suspicious activity.”