JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – There's a crime alert for Jacksonville and surrounding counties, where thieves continue to walk off with guns and other valuables left in unlocked cars.
The last seven days have been like Christmas in July for crooks burglarizing vehicles in Duval and St. Johns counties, and it appears unattended guns are on their wish list.
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It seems more people are not only leaving their cars unlocked, but they're also leaving their firearms in the glove compartment. Thieves are seizing on the opportunity.
According to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, over the last seven days, 83 unlocked vehicles have been burglarized. Eight guns were reported taken.
During the same time period in St. Johns County, 13 unlocked vehicles were burglarized. Two guns were reported stolen from the same vehicle.
So far this year, there have been 43 guns stolen from vehicles in St. Johns County, 31 from vehicles in Clay County and 44 guns stolen in Nassau County in 2017.
For the last several months, News4Jax has been warning people living in both the city and well-to-do subdivisions about leaving their vehicles unlocked overnight.
But now there's another trend. Crooks aren't just targeting vehicle in the city. They’re also targeting vehicles out in the country.
According to a St. Johns County criminal complaint, three unlocked vehicles were burglarized on a property surrounded by farmland. One gun was taken in that case. Just up the road from that location, News4Jax ran into a local farmer.
"I leave mine unlocked and my house unlocked," said the farmer.
He said leaving doors unlocked has always been the way of life in the country. He also keeps multiple rifles in his truck to ward off farm animal predators.
"See there's weapons here, guns here," he said.
"Are you afraid someone may take those weapons?" News4Jax asked.
"Now that you told me there's a problem, I'll probably lock it up now," said the farmer.
News4Jax requested vehicle burglary data from Clay County, but officials there needed more time to compile the numbers.
Unlocked vehicle burglaries have become such an issue that police agencies tweets about it every night -- reminding people to lock their car doors. It's called the #9pmRoutine, and people from all around the country respond, saying their doors are locked and valuables removed from their vehicles.