The lead investigator for the Tonganoxie police department said the recent string of vehicle break-ins and thefts has occurred because doors were left unlocked.

Between Thursday night and Friday morning, three vehicles were entered and select items were taken. All three occurred in or near the Eagle Valley subdivision.

“Don’t leave valuables in the car and definitely don’t leave the keys in the car,” Adcox said. “That’s the main thing now.”

Two vehicles also were stolen in that same time frame. One occurred on Raintree Park, which also was hit by one of the car burglaries. The other stolen vehicle was taken from South Park subdivision on Willis.

In both cases, the owners had left keys either in the console or under the driver’s seat. Both vehicles were recovered in the county.

And vehicles aren’t the only targets of crime. A brick was thrown through the front door of the Tonganoxie Library last week, and a truck window was broken out.

Although he’s not sure who is behind the recent problems, Adcox said, it’s possible that youth are involved because of what’s being stolen. One truck had valuable tools in the front seat, but they were left untouched. Loose change, money, compact discs and MP3 players were taken in the recent rash of thefts.

“They’re not looking for things to pawn,” Adcox said. “Just change here and there and things for personal use.”

And, if anyone hears unusual noises in the middle of the night, such as a dog barking, they should call the police department immediately.

“If you see anything or anyone around late at night, let us know,” Adcox said. “We’ll come out and investigate and see who’s doing what.”