South Whidbey residents are warned to watch out for car prowlers and take steps to protect their vehicles.

Island County Sheriff’s Det. Ed Wallace said the South Precinct has received multiple reports of vehicle prowls in the last few days.

The targeted vehicles have been in parking areas such as the beach access at Double Bluff, Maxwelton Playground in the Park, Greenbank Farm off Leash parking at the Highway 525 turnout, amount others.

“Thieves seem to be targeting purses and wallets left in the vehicles. There seems to be a focus on debit and credit cards and checkbooks,” Wallace said in a release. “ Most of the cars have been locked and their windows broken out. The thefts seem to be very quick. The thefts are happening both in the daylight and in the middle of the night.”

To date the Sheriff’s Office has no reports of theft from vehicles in busy parking lots like grocery stores. As a reminder, Wallace said, leave unnecessary valuables at home; take purses and wallets with you, and if you have valuable items you must travel with, lock them out of sight in your trunk.