Car break-ins are unfortunately a common occurrence in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Fed up with the spike in break-ins, residents are taking drastic measures to ensure their cars stay safe parked out on the streets.
According to KGO, some residents are reportedly leaving their cars unlocked with the windows rolled down and trunks open to avoid thieves breaking their car windows to steal their belongings.
"I'm shocked," former SFPD Deputy Chief Garret Tom told KGO. "There's so much that can go wrong here."
In his nearly 40 years on the force, he said he's never seen people resort to this to protect their cars.
However, thieves targeting cars in San Francisco and Oakland are getting more advanced.
"Even if you think I'm just going to put my laptop in my trunk... if it's on, they have technology to detect it in the car," said Oakland's Interim Deputy Police Chief Drennon Lindsey. "Even if it's hidden."
So, are people who leave their cars completely vulnerable like this actually protecting them from thieves?
Tom says no.
"They could steal your batteries, your tires," he said. "They could go into your glove compartment and find out where you live."
Both the SFPD and OPD have increased patrols in high-traffic areas but they warn residents to not leave valuables in the car and definitely don't leave their trunks open with the doors unlocked.