In the hot summer months, it’s always a temptation for people to leave their car windows down, or at least partially cracked.

Unfortunately, there are those among us who will take any opportunity to capitalize on our false sense of security. A recent string of thefts here has made us more aware of this not-so-fun fact.

Within the past week, we have received letters from readers who have had valuables taken from their cars and homes. While they might not could have avoided these thefts, there is no reason we should ever make criminals’ jobs easy for them. We should always lock our car doors and roll up the windows completely at night, and perhaps even during the day. There are alternatives to keeping a vehicle cool, such as reflective visors.

The same goes for our homes, and any compartments with valuables. We should also keep valuables out of sight from those who might yield to the temptation to take them.

Even if we think we live in a safe neighborhood, it’s better to be safe than sorry.