The Berrien County Sheriff’s office has noticed an uprise in home invasion crimes, and officials want residents to know that reporting suspicious activity is encouraged.BERRIEN COUNTY — The Berrien County Sheriff’s office has noticed an uprise in home invasion crimes, and officials want residents to know that reporting suspicious activity is encouraged.

Deputy Ryan Sullivan said the office has the uptick specifically along the general US-12 corridor. The trend extends past Berrien County, he said. Reports have also occurred in Cass County and Indiana’s LaPorte and St. Joseph counties.

While detectives from the area sheriff’s offices have gotten together to investigate the break-ins, Sullivan said he cannot report on “fruitful” information the detectives have gathered, but they have noticed a theme.

“Day-time break-ins are kind of the mode of operation that’s primarily happening,” he said.

Officials suspect that those breaking and entering will walk to the front door of a targeted house and knock. If no one answers, then they will enter it. If someone does answer the door, the suspect may ask the homeowner a question that would not arouse suspicion, then walk away.

Nighttime break-ins were rare. Cars were more likely to be broken into than houses were when the sun sets, according to deputies.

Sullivan recommended that residents call the police if they see something suspicious. The call does not inconvenience the department, he said.

“If they see somebody suspicious, they really don’t need to worry about thinking that they’re bothering us,” he said. “We’d like a call. We’d like a call sooner than later.”

The departments have been unable to identify any of the suspects yet, but a person who was at home when a daytime break-in appeared to occur allowed the detectives to get a sense of who they might be searching for.

“Seeing a car out or somebody that doesn’t belong at your neighbor’s driveway, those are the calls that we really appreciate to receive,” he said.

Sullivan said that if someone is called as a suspect for breaking and entering, that individual would not be assumed by police to be doing so.