The Plano Police Department is reporting an increase in the theft of weapons from vehicles, and the vast majority of vehicles remain unlocked.
Police said on Facebook that firearms were seized from unlocked cars parked in driveways, restaurants and outside shops.
According to police, it only takes a few minutes for a thief to get hold of a firearm.
Crime has been on the rise since 2021.
In 2021, out of 78 vehicles, 83 shotguns were stolen, according to police, and 74 (95 percent) of those vehicles were left unlocked.
In 2022, out of 105 vehicles, 121 guns were stolen, and 80 (76 percent) of those vehicles were left unlocked.
Reducing this crime could help reduce the number of illegal guns on the streets, as well as violent crime and shootings, police say.
The department is asking the public to keep the doors locked, remove the weapons from the vehicle and hide them in their home.
