COEUR d'ALENE - Lock car doors, roll up windows and be sure to remove valuables.

If you don't, you may wish you did.

Since April 1, the city of Coeur d'Alene has 73 reported cases of auto burglary. That's up 87 percent from 39 such reports for the entire month last year.

From Friday through Wednesday alone, there were 25 auto burglaries reported in the northwest section of town.

That section is west of U.S. 95 to about Atlas Road, and north of Interstate 90 up to Prairie Avenue. The area includes Lake City High School and the Coeur d'Alene Place neighborhood.

"We're not Block Watch organized, but we watch out for each other," David McCullough, 48, a resident of Coeur d'Alene Place, said Thursday.

Many of the cases involved people leaving their vehicles unlocked, police Sgt. Christie Wood said Thursday.

In a majority of the instances, vehicles were gone through by burglars but nothing was stolen. In some instances, burglars have taken wallets or electronic equipment.

She said the burglaries are happening in the early morning hours and it is likely the burglars are parking a few streets away and then walking through neighborhoods.

McCullough said there are a lot of younger people circulating through the neighborhood because of the high school, and that is likely a contributing factor to the number of auto burglaries. He said his son's vehicle was burglarized a few years ago, and they believe high schoolers were responsible.

He said some neighborhood residents need to be more vigilant securing their property.

"I think people have gotten more complacent nowadays," he said.

Wood recommends people look outside if they hear barking dogs or car doors opening and closing in the early morning hours. The observations might help police catch some of the burglars.

Wood said vehicle thefts also are on the increase.

The stolen vehicles are being found abandoned in neighborhoods, she said.

Detectives suspect the incidents might be tied together and the vehicles are being used as transportation by the thieves, she said.