Danielle Ferguson

dbferguson@argusleader.com

Police are again advising residents to lock their cars if they don't want their valuables stolen.

Two guns were reported stolen from two vehicles Wednesday afternoon, said Sioux Falls Police public information officer Sam Clemens.

A .45 caliber and a .38 caliber were stolen from separate vehicles on Leadale Avenue near East Madison Street sometime between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, Clemens said. One vehicle was unlocked. The other car owner said the car was locked, but there was no evidence of forced entry, Clemens said. It is unknown if the guns were loaded. One vehicle also had a purse stolen. The purse later was found by a neighbor, with money and credit cards missing.

The theft of guns from unlocked vehicles is a somewhat regular occurrence in the Sioux Falls area. It's reported on average once or twice every month, Clemens said, but some months see more or less.

Police are seeing a "tremendous amount" of theft from unlocked cars in general, Clemens said.

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"Not sure what more we can do to get the message out (to lock your cars)," Clemens said.

Clemens said police might be able to do more with an investigation if the vehicle is locked, but people aren't even doing that.

"We don't know where those guns will end up," he said, or even if police will be able to get them back.

Clemens urged gun owners to not leave guns in a vehicle and to write down the serial number. If you must leave your gun in the vehicle, lock the vehicle and cover the gun.