Created: 8/21/2009 4:23:06 PM 
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Even when the Dorenkott family is playing around the house, they are keeping a close eye on who else is around their home.
There's a good reason for it. In the last month, nearly two dozen cars have been burglarized in the Ortega Bluffs subdivision.
"They check for unlocked vehicles, but two of my friends, their vehicles were locked. They are stealing nothing more than a pack of cigarettes."
Dorenkott says others had thousands of dollars worth of computer equipment stolen right out of their cars. "I've taken everything out of my car already. My CDs, everything down to perfume. Because if they will steal cigarettes, they will steal my perfume."
JSO says others had ipods and purses stolen out of their cars. "It's a one way in, one way out subdivision. So, whoever's doing it lives within the subdivision or is coming from somewhere else and leaving," says Melissa Bujeda with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.JSO has stepped up patrols in the Westside neighborhood, trying to catch the bad guys.
Police say neighbors have to do their part too. Most of the cars broken into were unlocked. "Lock your door and take your belongings out of your vehicle," says Bujeda.
The Dorenkott family is now constantly checking their car doors. But they are also planning to take matters into their own hands. "We've actually considered picking different nights of the week and patrolling the area."
The burglaries have been happening between midnight and 3 a.m.
©2009 First Coast News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten, or redistributed.
