If you live in Tecumseh, lock your vehicle.
Ontario Provincial Police are reporting a recent spike in the number of break-ins in vehicles.
Police say the thefts are a considered a 'crime of opportunity' and criminals will check several vehicles in a certain area and then steal from those that are left unlocked.
Despite public awareness campaigns, the OPP say people are still leaving valuables including wallets, cash and cell phones in their unlocked vehicles visible to passersby.
If a vehicle is locked, the chances of a break-in are significantly decreased.
OPP Essex County spokesperson, Constable Jim Root says the public needs to do their part to prevent these thefts...
"We're asking people when they park their vehicles either on the roadway or in their driveway to lock the doors, make sure the windows are up and if there are any valuables left inside, if they have to be left inside, then hide them from plain view," he says.
Police are also asking anyone who spots suspicious activity to call police immediately.
--With files from AM800's Rusty Thomson