Multiple vehicles were broken into last weekend in the Durango West II subdivision, with several items of value being stolen, and in at least one case, someone attempting to steal a vehicle, according to the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office.

The thief ransacked “several” vehicles in Durango West II from Friday evening to Monday morning and may have moved into Durango city limits in an attempt to find more unlocked vehicles with valuables inside, said Chris Burke, spokesman with the Sheriff’s Office.

“They’re looking at any type of valuables – change, bags of change, purses, anything that can be picked up and sold. Any electronics,” Burke said. “Lock your vehicles, take your belongings and secure them. These are crimes of opportunity.”

A thief attempted to steal a vehicle in Durango West II with the keys left inside, but a security camera at the residence alerted the homeowner, who chased the thief away, Burke said.

Law enforcement has not tallied the amount of valuables stolen over the weekend – “there’s so many cases,” Burke said.

Thefts in Durango city limits have been scattered and not isolated to one neighborhood or community, he said. Durango Police Department spokesman Ray Shupe did not immediately return calls Wednesday seeking comment.

Residents can install lights and cameras to deter criminals, Burke said. But the best safeguard is to lock a vehicle and remove any and all visible valuables, he said.

bhauff@durangoherald.com