Although law enforcement officials urge residents to lock their car doors, Sioux Falls Police Spokesman Sam Clemens says some people are ignoring the warning.

"We had a couple of cars that were parked in a hotel parking lot and had items taken from them. One of them was a GPS stolen from an unlocked car. The other car had a handgun taken from it," explained Clemens.

"The owner thought the car was locked. But, there was no forced entry which makes you think the car wasn't locked. We do know there are people that continue to leave property in their cars. It's great if you lock the car. But, that doesn't mean that someone won't be able to get in. It's easy to break a window. Sometimes, locks don't work. If you do leave the car unlocked, there is a good chance your property will disappear."

If you don't think your vehicle will be vandalized, Clemens has this response.

"It's just a matter of time. There are a lot of people that said 'it will never happen to me.' But, it's a matter of time before someone walking by the vehicle takes advantage of the situation."

If you put a wallet, purse, or cell phone under the seat, Clemens says someone could be watching you. The bottom line: take the items with you or secure them in your trunk.


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