COEUR d'ALENE - In driveways and parking lots all over town, opportunistic thieves are finding easy targets.

The Coeur d'Alene Police Department responded to 13 vehicle burglaries on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The thieves snatched whatever they could find, from subwoofers to ski goggles.

"Auto burglary is a problem, definitely," said Sgt. Christie Wood. "It kind of comes and goes. This week we did have quite a few."

Vehicle burglaries were reported on Garden, Sherman, Hubbard and Kathleen avenues. Two occurred Sunday at the Corner Bar on Fourth Street.

Thieves struck in both public and residential areas.

Most auto burglaries in Coeur d'Alene are spontaneous, Wood said. Thieves take advantage of unlocked doors or an open window; they rarely pick locks or break glass.

"They'll look for anything that they can pawn," she said. "It's more of a grab and go. You leave your expensive Prada sunglasses on the dash, they're gonna grab 'em."

Small items like GPS units, iPods, stereo face plates and tools are commonly filched. Last weekend, burglars grabbed a swimsuit and prescription medication.

Covering an item with a blanket or jacket, Wood said, sometimes calls attention to it.

The recent burglaries are now under investigation; no arrests have been made.

Locked doors and closed windows are probably the best defense, officers said.

"It really seems like a solution for a lot of it, or at least a deterrent," said Officer Gus Wessel.

Residential burglaries have also been frequent this summer. Officers responded to three residences this weekend, including a home on Norlyn Court where golf clubs and a bicycle were stolen.

House thieves, too, are hitting easy targets, officers said. An open door is an invitation to burglers.

Working the night shift, Wessel often spots wide-open garage doors. He alerts the homeowners, even if it's late and he has to wake them up.

"A lot of times it's an accident," Wessel said. "Hopefully I find 'em early in the night, before (the homeowners) go to bed."

He stopped at 6-10 houses with open doors on Friday night.

"Usually they're very thankful. Most people don't realize it," Wessel said.

Aside from locking doors and closing garages, homeowners can protect themselves by keeping their outside lights turned on at night. Motion-sensor lights are also effective, Wessel said.

The high number of burglaries could be caused by several factors, officers said. Warm weather brings large crowds to Coeur d'Alene, and people stay out late. Additionally, some residents are still coping with economic problems, and stolen items can bring quick cash.