Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- The Rochester Police Department has issued a crime alert after seeing an uptick in theft-related crimes.

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The uptick has been seen in one particular quadrant of the city. Rochester Police published the alert on Wednesday. 

Police are reporting an increase of vehicle thefts in northwest Rochester. Officials are also reporting an increase of cases involving thefts of items from vehicles in the same area. 

TJ Leverentz/TSM
TJ Leverentz/TSM
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Police are urging community members not to leave their vehicles running unattended and to always take keys outside of vehicles. Residents are also reminded to make sure their vehicle’s doors and windows are locked when the vehicle is empty. 

Kim David/TSM
Kim David/TSM
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Police are also encouraging citizens to not leave items inside of empty vehicles and to make sure valuables are not left in plain view inside of empty vehicles. 

The warning from Rochester Police comes a couple of weeks after the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office issued a warning to residents of vehicle break-ins targeting empty cars parked at the Douglass Trailhead in Oronoco. 

A sheriff’s office spokesman said deputies responded to a pair of break-ins at the parking lot in a span of about two weeks.

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