During the last four months of 2018, it felt like there was an increase in armed robberies at convenience stores and similar businesses.

We use the word “felt” because overall in 2018 robberies actually decreased in LaGrange. We plan to take a deeper dive into all those numbers in the weeks ahead, but our point is that something isn’t always what it seems.

Regardless, it does appear convenience stores became a target for robberies, especially in the later part of the year.

Three were robbed in the last eight days of 2018, and seven of the eight robberies took place in the last five months of the year. An attempted armed robbery already occurred at the Summit gas station on Vernon Road this year too.

This past week we wrote a story breaking down the eight convenience store robberies that occurred in LaGrange last year.

Media outlets, us included, often do a good job of reporting crime when it happens, but we don’t often do a good enough job of following up on those stories and letting the public know where a case stands, especially unsolved cases.

That’s one of the reasons we wrote that story, hoping that it might push those crimes back to the forefront in people’s minds.

Six of those eight cases are still unsolved at this point, meaning police could use some help from the public in trying to find the person or persons responsible. If you know something, say something.

There are many ways to contact the LaGrange Police Department to give information, whether it’s through the main line at (706) 883-2603 or Troup County Crime Stoppers at (706) 812-1000. You can also message the LaGrange Police Department through its Facebook page.

A great start to 2019 would include the LPD being able to close some of these cases.