FAULKNER COUNTY, Ark. – A string of car break-ins has law enforcement in Faulkner County sounding the alarm.

The Faulkner County Sheriff’s Office said they have seen a substantial increase in the number of car break-ins in the last 3 to 4 months.

“We’ve seen it happen at businesses, we’ve seen it happen at homes, at residences,” Sherry Skaggs with the Sheriff’s Office said.

Skaggs said it’s a problem the department is seeing across the county, and it doesn’t seem to be targeted to one specific place, or item.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, the majority of car break-ins occur because people don’t lock their cars, creating an easy target for thieves on a time crunch.

“When they find one that’s unlocked, they’re going through it to take whatever they can,” Skaggs said. “You want to make it harder for thieves to access your things rather than making it easier.”

Skaggs says some have also had windows smashed or cars stolen. She says it is always good practice to take all valuables inside whenever you leave your car.

“Purses, wallets, money, even spare change can trigger this,” Skaggs said.

The Faulkner County Sheriff’s Office said they are increasing patrol to help cut down on the number of break-ins.