As the temperature outside hovers around 90 degrees, it's quite tempting to leave your car windows open while you're at work or in the grocery store.

After all, who wants to hop in a sweltering car and drive around with a steering wheel that's hotter than a waffle iron.

But a cooler car just isn't worth it, police say, because that simply invites people to steal your stuff.

Since the start of summer, police in several Fox Valley departments have reported more thefts and car burglaries than normal. Officers say it's because people are making things easy for potential burglars and thieves.

"We always see more thefts in the summer because people have more free time and because the opportunity is there," Carpentersville police Lt. Anthony DePippo said. "People leave their windows down and don't lock their cars or garages - I do it myself - but that's how you lose everything in your car."

South Elgin police Sgt. Randy Endean says that with the nicer weather recently has come more "crimes of opportunity."

Leaving valuables in your car, especially in plain view of passersby lures people to steal them. Endean urged people to hide purses, money, cell phones and laptop computers in their vehicles and - of course - roll up the windows and lock the doors.

South Elgin police also have seen a spate of garage burglaries in recent months in which people didn't close or lock their garage doors.

Police say the only way to keep yard tools, lawn mowers, golf clubs and children's toys is to keep them locked up.

"If you leave your bike lying on the front lawn, someone will walk by and take it," DePippo said. "A lot of this is common sense stuff, but it happens again and again."

In Elgin, for example, burglaries to vehicles jumped from 126 to 202 between the first and second quarters of 2000. The first quarter includes the winter months of January to March, and the second quarter includes the warmer months of April, May and June.

"That's a 60.3 percent increase and, it's unfortunate to say, but I think that's a normal increase," Elgin police crime analyst Russ Matson said. "I think cold weather deters people from committing some crimes, and people get careless in the summer. Unfortunately, people will take advantage of that."

Crime:

To keep your stuff police say, 'lock up'