If you read the weekly Law Enforcement Report, you may have noticed in recent weeks there has been an uptick in vehicle break-ins. The common factor in nearly every instance has been that the vehicles were unlocked, allowing criminals easy access to rummage through the glove box and swipe everything from loose cash to firearms.

As pointed out during a recent report from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office to the Town Council, these incidents could be easily avoided if more folks would simply hit the lock button when exiting their vehicle. We’d all love to go back to the days when such measures were not necessary but, let’s face it, times have changed.

Furthermore, time spent on these avoidable crimes is time deputies aren’t spending tackling bigger issues, and let’s not gloss over the very serious problem of additional firearms making their way onto the streets.

The folks who commit these crimes are looking for a quick buck with minimum effort. This is highlighted by footage of one suspect trying knobs locally and, when they discover a vehicle is locked, they simply move on to the next car. Locking the door was all it took to avoid being burglarized.

We all want to see less crime in our hometown. In this case, we can contribute to that goal by simply hitting the lock button whether we’re leaving our vehicle in a parking lot or its sitting in the driveway.