Nearly two dozen guns were stolen in one week in March during vehicle burglaries across the city, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department.

The thefts come on the heels of a report that gun thefts from cars rose 85 percent over a two-year period in Tennessee.

In all, 21 guns were stolen from March 24 through Sunday during vehicle burglaries after some of those vehicles were left unlocked.

According to an MNPD news release, 27 out of the 42 vehicles stolen that week were easy targets because the keys were left inside or made available to thieves.

Police reported five of the vehicles taken were left running without the driver present.

The department emphasized people need to lock automobile doors, secure valuables including purses and guns, and remove the keys.

Nashville saw a 70 percent increase in firearms stolen from vehicles between 2016 and 2018, when there were 659 reported thefts of one or more guns from cars and trucks, Metro police reported in February.

Statewide, there was an 85 percent increase in guns stolen from cars and trucks in a two-year period from 2016 to 2017, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

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Reach Natalie Neysa Alund at nalund@tennessean.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.