The Kitsap County Sheriff's Office warns that car thefts are on the rise in Kitsap County, particularly in the area of Central Kitsap east of Silverdale and East Bremerton.

Deputies noticed the increase last month, and note the targets are frequently foreign imports, typically Hondas and Toyotas. Currently, detectives are investigating reports of 30 vehicles stolen since June 2.

The cars are being taken from apartment complexes, parking lots at major retail stores and malls, private residences and restaurant parking areas. They are usually stolen between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

In most cases the vehicles are located within hours and close to where they were taken. The vehicles are usually found missing items such as in-dash stereo equipment, personal property and, in some instances, vehicle components such as seats.

To help prevent theft, the Sheriff's Office offers these tips:

-- When leaving your vehicle, regardless of the length of time, remove the key
from the ignition, close all windows and lock the doors.

-- Install smooth, non-flared locking buttons on car doors.

-- At night, park in a well-lit area. When at home, if possible, park your vehicle
inside of a garage.

-- Remove personal identifying items from your car when you get out: wallets,
driver license, credit cards, check books, other identification cards, etc. These
items, once stolen, can be used to commit crimes involving fraud, forgery or
identity theft.

-- Do not leave personal articles (cameras, i-Pods, GPS devices) in plain view.

-- Additional security may be obtained by installing a vehicle security system or
other anti-theft device, such as steering wheel or brake-pedal locking device.