As the weather warms up, the RCMP are warning residents to make sure valuable items are secured and out of sight after a series of thefts from vehicles in Whitehorse.

Since the beginning of the year, police have received 50 complaints related to thefts. Either someone rifled through a vehicle, or items were actually taken.

This is separate from actual thefts of vehicles. There have been about 42 of those reported in the same time frame.

Some of the vehicles have had the keys left inside them, resulting in a few thefts of the vehicles themselves.

Securing your vehicle takes only a second to do and ensures that opportunity doesn't present itself, police say.

"Locking your vehicle is such a simple thing but it's one easy way that citizens can help prevent crime and avoid becoming a victim,” said Const. Christine Grant of the Whitehorse RCMP.

Police continue to investigate the thefts and any possible link between them.

Grant said thefts of this kind are usually in clusters in neighbourhoods all over the city.

During a three-day stint in April, police received reports of eight vehicles being rifled through in Riverdale, Copper Ridge and Granger.

Police will often see a number of vehicles targeted on the same street, generally in the late evening or early morning hours, she said.

Last year, police began using a computer program to help map these kind of "car shopping” crimes.

Critical to the program's success is residents taking the time to report these kind of things, even if nothing is taken from the vehicle, officers said at the time.