Elk Grove police warn of recent burglaries

Elk Grove police are reminding residents to lock their vehicles and residences after recent reports of burglaries and a stolen SUV.

A thief stole a Nissan Pathfinder from a resident's driveway some time overnight last week. According to a police report, the keys had been left in the vehicle.

Other vehicle burglaries last week included reports of a tablet, cellphone and even loose change stolen from unlocked cars. In another case, a resident reported someone had entered his open garage and stole two welders and an oxygen tank worth $7,000.

"While these crimes aren't anything new, you might be surprised to learn that most burglaries involving vehicles have no forced entry," the police department said in a news release.

Besides locking doors, police encourage residents to prevent home burglaries by securing windows, closing garage doors, trimming bushes to improve visibility and installing outdoor motion-activated lighting.