Residents on Lake Wateree were hit with a string of burglaries earlier this month, prompting the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office to issue three simple, and perhaps obvious, words of advice: “Lock your car.”

Indeed, of the eight incidents that were reported on Feb. 3, six involved a suspect, or suspects, entering unlocked cars parked outside homes near the Lake Wateree State Park. Firearms, electronics and other items worth a total of $3,964 were stolen in those incidents. Two other incidents, involving locked cars, resulted in vandalism totaling $700. Entry was not gained into those vehicles and no items were stolen.

While the Sheriff’s Office said they are investigating the burglaries, they urged residents to take more precautions against similar thefts.

“None of the vehicles were locked,” the Sheriff’s Office said. “It’s always a good idea to make sure you lock your vehicle, especially if you have valuables inside.”

Moreover, the Sheriff’s Office added, the best idea is to never leave valuables inside your vehicle at all.

The first incident took place between 11:30 a.m. Feb. 3 and 10:30 a.m. Feb. 4 in the 1100 block of Molly Creek Circle. In that incident, someone had entered an unlocked car parked outside the home and stolen a handgun, a digital camera and a GPS unit worth a total of $560. Burglars later entered an unlocked truck parked outside a home in the 1300 block of Molly Creek Circle and stole an iPad and other items worth $804. An unlocked car parked outside a home in the 500 block of Molly Creek Circle was also entered that night, although no items were reported stolen.

On nearby Westshore Drive, a car parked outside a home in the 1600 block was also entered. Burglars made off with a radar detector and a GPS unit worth $200. In the 1400 block of Deer Run Road, burglars entered an unlocked Nissan Pathfinder and stole a set of golf clubs and other items worth $1,600. A cell phone, a check book and CDs worth $200 were stolen from an unlocked car parked outside a home in the 500 block of Rocky Point Circle.

Meanwhile, in an incident that may or may not be related to the Lake Wateree burglaries, but which contains similar elements, someone entered an unlocked truck parked outside a nursing home on Tanglewood Circle in the town of Ridgeway at 8:32 p.m. and stole tools and other items worth $600. According to the incident report, the truck had been left unattended for only a short time.

Some time between 6 p.m. Feb. 3 and 2:17 p.m. Feb. 5, someone cut a tire on a locked truck parked outside a home in the 600 block of Rolling Hills Road. A tire on an Oldsmobile Cutlass, also parked outside the home, had been cut as well, bringing the total damages in that incident to $200.

Between noon Feb. 3 and 1 p.m. Feb. 4, someone fired a gun into the side of a car that had been left parked on the side of River Road causing $500 in damage.

The Sheriff’s Office urges anyone with information about these crimes to contact them at 803-635-4141.