In the past week, multiple Aiken County residents were arrested on charges of sexual misconduct with children. On Monday, two local men were arrested in an operation that targeted online child predators.
With social media growing in popularity, younger teens and children can particularly become easy targets for online predators.
Officers say it's more important than ever for parents to know the technological capabilities of the devices their children are using - which can include computers, phones, tablets and even iPods.
"I always tell parents to keep up with the technology they give their children," said Aiken Department of Public Safety Capt. Mary Ann Burgess of the Youth Services Division. "It's hard to keep up with all of the technology ... (but) if you don't know, there are a lot of people who do know."
Burgess said keeping up with technology can help parents "police" their children.
A device that plays music can do more than just play songs now, she said.
"They can make phone calls, check email or access the Internet."
There are warning signs of children being contacted by online predators, Burgess said.
"Parents have to be aware of behavior changes," she said, adding that online predators are likely to send gifts.
"We had one person send a bus ticket through the mail," Burgess said. "The child was ready to board the bus. Thankfully, the mom was paying attention. These predators will groom a child into thinking they are the only ones they can trust."
Burgess urges parents to take control.
"Do a cellphone check," she said. "Make sure you know what your children are doing."
There are many ways to keep updated with online activity, Burgess said.
"Some programs can help," she said. "We even have a program ... that can set up what (parents) can see on their (children's) computers. We can even set up hot keys that allow parents to see what their children search for."
Burgess recommends parents use the website www.netsmartz.org.
"They can download pamphlets and instruction sheets to keep children safe on the Internet," said Burgess. "If parents are ever unsure, they can always contact their local law enforcement."
Online predators are not the only danger of online use.
According to the National Crime Prevention Council, there are four general "major dangers" of using social networking websites: Oversharing information, false profiles and location-based services.
"When creating a profile page, most websites will ask for personal information such as home addresses, birthday and phone numbers," according to the National Crime Prevention Council. "The biggest threat of over-sharing information is identity theft."
"Social networking sites make it very easy to pretend to be someone else," the website wrote. "Anyone can take control of a user's account if he or she can obtain the user's password."
According to the Council, the location-based services is the most dangerous of the social media features provided.
"While it can be fun to share your location, it also increases your vulnerability, potentially opening you up to being robbed or assaulted," according to the Council.
For more information, visit www.ncpc.org.
Will Whaley is the crime and court reporter for the Aiken Standard.