The Shawnee County Sheriff's Office on Monday morning issued a "code red" alert after a spike in vehicle burglaries over the past couple of weeks in which thieves stole items including guns and garage door openers.

"The majority of these burglaries are occurring overnight to both locked and unlocked vehicles," said Shawnee County sheriff's Deputy Shayna Anderson. "Thieves are taking garage door openers and gaining access into the garages.

"A disturbing trend is the number of guns that are being taken from vehicles. Stolen guns are of critical concern, causing safety concerns for citizens and law enforcement."

The sheriff’s office is asking for the public’s assistance in preventing these crimes by removing valuables from vehicles, locking vehicles and removing garage door openers from vehicles.

Those with video surveillance of vehicle burglars may call 785-251-2248.