ALBANY, GA (WALB) -
Police are investigating a number of car break-ins in a West Dougherty County neighborhood.
Thousands of dollars worth of electronics and a gun were stolen and police suspect the thieves could be teens.
Entering autos are a continuing crime issue in South Georgia and police say people need to take action to protect their cars and their property.
All the cars broken into were unlocked, in their owner's driveway overnight. Police say crooks are just looking for easy targets like that.
Joy Smith said her husband found their cars rifled through Wednesday morning. They had been parked in their driveway on Grand Oaks Court.
"Someone had stolen a projector, a brand new camera, and his laptop which he uses for work. And he lost two months worth of work on that laptop," said Joy Smith, Theft Victim.
Dougherty County Police got similar calls from the Smith's neighbor Larry Glow and Jessica Tucker a couple of blocks away on Barrington Drive.
Overnight thieves had rifled their cars. Glow's 9 millimeter pistol and a flashlight were missing.
Tucker's two cars had an Apple Mac Computer stolen and toilet paper from inside her car littered across her yard. Because of the toilet paper, they suspect teens.
They are very concerned that a gun is on the streets. Investigators say all the cars were unlocked, sitting in their owner's driveway.
"They were. Which 9 out of 10 we lock them, but that particular night it just wasn't locked," said Smith.
Police say in September they recovered more stolen property from that same neighborhood, taken from cars.
Now they are warning people in the Hidden Lakes community to keep their car doors locked, and take their guns when they leave their cars.
"I think in these hard times they will go anywhere to steal. So nowhere is safe," said Smith.
Now police are searching for the crooks, worried that kids now have that gun and hope that people will lock their cars all the time even at home in their own driveway.
The Smith's are increasing security around their home putting up surveillance cameras and motion detector lights. But it may be too late to save all her husband's work lost on that stolen laptop.
If you have any information about these thefts, or those stolen items call the Dougherty County Police at 430-6600 or CRIMESTOPPERS at 436-TIPS.
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