There are things we do every day to keep our families and homes safe, like locking doors and windows. However, police say every Spring, people make mistakes that leave them vulnerable to crime.

Spring offers many opportunities for people to make your stuff their stuff. This may seem like common sense, but statistics show some of these things happen in all parts of the city, all of the time.

As Jan Putman sits in her back yard drinking tea, anyone could be rifling through the unlocked cars in her driveway.

"My whole neighborhood has a really secure feeling to it," she says. "We don't ever think something is going to happen here."

With four teens and five vehicles, there are plenty to choose from, not to mention the windows left down in her sons truck.

"I guess I'm just too lazy to roll it up," he says. "I don't really worry about it too much."

Crime tip #1: Never leave vehicle windows down or cars unlocked. Police say this is one of several Spring crimes that happen every year. When the weather turns warm, not only can someone steal you car, but you may have hundreds of dollars worth of items sitting out in plain sight.

"There may be CD's laying our or right here there is a pair of sunglasses," says Wichita Police Officer Steve Jerrell. "Someone could have an easy pair of Oakley's right here."

One more item you might not think of that's commonly left out in cars, your garage door opener. It gives instant access to you and your home at any time.

"They may not take the vehicle itself, but all they have to do is reach in and slip the opener in their pocket," Jerrell says.

Crime tip #2: Never leave your garage door open unless you are working inside it. Fishing poles, bikes, air compressors, and weed eaters are all within easy access.

"It wouldn't take probably 15-20 seconds to get inside and take the weed eater and blower and walk right out of here," says Officer Jerrell.

Crime tip #3: Make sure all bikes, trikes, and ride-ons are always stored inside.

With three kids running in and out of the house, the officers warns that leaving bikes in the front yard can lead to tears when they come back out from their snack break only to discover their wheels are missing.

"It takes nothing for someone to pick up the bike, jump on it, and away they go," Jerrell says.

It is also a good idea to write down the serial number so if something does get stolen, investigators can check the national database for a match.

Crime tip #4: Always keep your lawn equipment in a locked garage or shed, even if it's only going to be for a few minutes.

Police say another common item left outside in the Spring is lawn mowers. It's easy to leave it out while you grab a drink, but as officer Jerrell shows, in just minutes, someone else could be using your stuff.

"It doesn't take anything for me to just pick up the lawn mower," he says. "You can be in for two minutes and I can take it. Your mower's gone and you have no idea where it is."

Crime tip #5: Always remove valuables from your vehicles, even inside your garage. Side garage doors are another easy access for thieves.

And one final tip With the weather warming up, many people are starting to need window air conditioning units. Police warn these units are easy to pop out and if yours is not secure, someone else can easily be the one keeping cool this summer.