Local police in Arkansas know how you can help reduce crime by up to 70 percent, and it’s actually quite easy: lock your doors.

Various police departments across Central Arkansas are noticing more and more gun thefts, because people simply aren’t locking their car doors.

“This handgun here, unlocked vehicle,” Sgt. Brian Dedrick with North Little Rock Police explained to THV11 as he searched through breaking and entering reports. “Stolen at 11 o’clock at night. But all they had to do was open the car, grab it and go.”

Just last month, the town had seven firearms stolen from cars.

Moving over to Maumelle, Captain Jim Hansard said his town is being targeted, because criminals know citizens there don’t lock their car doors.

“They come in because Maumelle has nice houses. We’ve got nice cars. Those cars are filled with nice things. And these criminals know that,” he told THV11.

The small Arkansas town has reported 166 car break-ins this year alone. Of those, 12 resulted in stolen guns. In only one case was the car locked.

“People are inundated with gun violence issues. Do we really want another 12 of them out there? No we don’t,” Hansard told THV11. He then went on to describe two recent crimes, both of which involved – you guessed it – stolen firearms.

“It’s a serious problem. We need some help,” Hansard added.

And everyone can help…if they just lock their doors.

“You must lock your doors,” Hansard stressed. “You’ve got to take your valuables out and lock your doors. If I could do that, I could probably cut the crime rate down in this town by 75-percent.”

You heard the man. Go lock your doors.