ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – You may not have had to deal with a car thief, but chances are while living in the metro, you know someone who has.

Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen says most of the auto thefts they investigate end up getting linked to other crimes like robbery, illegal drug use or even homicides.

Last month, BCSO says it made 56 auto theft arrests – all but one were felonies, making it more than 160 arrests.

Allen says he was a little surprised to see such a big up tick in arrests, but he credits things like new technology and proactive patrols.

He says his deputies are starting to learn hotspots for auto thefts, and they’re adding patrols there. As for the types of vehicles being targeted, KOB 4 has told you about Kias and Hyundais.

But the sheriff says from all the operations they’ve run, car thieves don’t necessarily discriminate.

“A Kia, we know that it’s easier to break into. Something as simple, a criminal is going to defeat something and move on to something, even something as simple as the club. It’s just what is the easier target,” said Allen. 

The sheriff says people leave their guns in their cars. That means not only is your car gone, so is your gun. That’s how a majority of criminals, especially teen offenders, are getting guns.

“If you have a firearm in your vehicle, take it out at night and put it into your home, please. Because that’s where the criminals are also getting these stolen firearms and then using them in the utilization of another crime,” Allen said. 

Allen says there are simple things you can do to make your car less of a target. Double check that your car doors are locked and make sure you are aware of your surroundings.

Allen also says a club on your steering wheel is also a deterrent. He says even a steering wheel club can go a long way to deter criminals. 

KOB 4 checked in with Albuquerque Police Department on their efforts to tackle auto theft.

A spokesperson with APD says this year, so far, the department has made 411 arrests related to auto theft. Auto thefts in March were 532 and is down 6% compared to in January.