News 12 at 6 o'clock July 22, 2010

MARTINEZ, Ga -- A rash of car break-ins in Columbia County, all within just a few blocks of each other, and the people who own the cars may be partly to blame.

It happened in Martinez this week and News 12 found that most of the cars were unlocked.

12 On Your Side talked with some people who are being a little more careful.

It turns out not much was taken, but it the trend has law enforcement and insurance agents issuing a familiar reminder -- lock up.

Incident reports show there were 14 car break-ins alone during one night this week in Martinez.

"Six years lived here," explains Adela Rodriguez, "Nothing happened before." She is now one of four families on Wind Ridge Road woke up to their cars ransacked or doors left open. Coins, a GPS, CD players all stolen or damaged.

The other 10 break-ins happened within a few blocks.

"My glove box was open, everything inside was all over the place, my center console was open, everything was everywhere." says Ashley Robinson, one of the unlucky ones. But, Robinson actually locked her doors. The other 13 reports include people who admitted leaving their cars unlocked or those who weren't sure.

One neighbor installed this motion detecting light after it happened.

"I think it's a short jump from my car to my house, so it just makes me nervous to be home alone so often, and I'm a little girl, not gonna do much to ward off anybody."

Break-ins are on the rise in Columbia County. Insurance agents are also trying to ward off indifference; hoping people will lock up.

Kelley Lawrence is a State Farm Insurance Agent in town. "It's not that we're not aware, not educated, carelessness, we get in a hurry and take it for granted." When it happens to you, Lawrence says, talk to your insurance agent. Whether you should file a claim depends on how much damage there is and your financial situation. Lawrence advises that can be solved by looking at your policy. "Higher deductibles can be great in terms of monthly cost or premium, but that's more to come out of pocket with if something happens."

In some ways, you can even save on insurance costs by protecting your car from not only break-ins but auto thefts. Some insurance companies offer discounts for using anti-theft devices.