Not everyone shows good will toward their fellow man during the Christmas holidays, as many thieves use the season as a time to steal.“We generally see more cases of thefts, shoplifting and car burglaries around the holiday season,” said McMinnville Police Chief Bryan Denton. “It seems like thieves get more active around this time of year, possibly because they know there is more merchandise to steal and more crowds in which they can conceal their crimes.”Much of the crime happens in public places such as shopping areas, Denton said, where there are high concentrations of people and it is easy for a thief to disappear into a crowd. The larger crowds make it easier for a thief to blend in and also provides more targets of opportunity for criminals.One area of concern is thefts of purses and wallets.