The rash of recent burglaries in the Shenango Valley area has citizens alarmed. But since police can’t be everywhere, homeowners need to do everything they can to ward off these unwanted visitors.

Brazen burglars are believed to be involved in a series of thefts in Sharon, Sharpsville and Hermitage. They enter homes in the early morning hours while residents may be sleeping and make off with cash and a variety of items.

In one recent case, the criminals even took the owner’s car after stealing the keys from inside the house.

While there may be more than just two thieves, police believe that a pair of young black men are involved in many of the burglaries. One is light-skinned and the other dark.

The Herald normally doesn’t identify criminal suspects only according to race, but in this instance it is important that residents be on the lookout for anyone who may not have been seen in the area before. Any identification is better than none.

Police suspect that the thieves case the area and select homes they want to invade. In fact, residents in some of the areas experiencing burglaries had noticed people walking past looking at homes or driving slowly down the street.

Everyone needs to be aware of strangers in their area and should notify police.

Police remind homeowners that they may be unwittingly inviting thieves by leaving windows open at night or not locking doors.

Even if the burglars do enter your home, they are normally on a hit-and-run mission. Their method has been to grab items like purses, wallets, jewelry or iPods — things they can steal quickly.

After the recent stolen car, it wouldn’t hurt to hide the car keys either.

While many people are trying to save on energy costs, leaving porch or garage lights on also can be a deterrent since criminals like to work under the cover of darkness. Even a television left on all night can make a potential thief wary that someone is still awake inside the home.

Basically, use common sense and do everything possible to protect your home at night. Don’t just close windows, lock them. Or if you need to keep them open, fix the windows so they are only partially open and are blocked from being big enough to allow a person to climb through.

It’s also a good time to start neighborhood watch programs. There is nothing more effective at stopping crime than neighbors watching out for neighbors. It’s especially helpful if you are planning a vacation and need someone to watch over your house while you are away. Local police will be glad to explain some of the details of establishing an effective neighborhood watch.

While there is no indication that these criminals may be armed, be careful if you hear someone inside your home. Call the police, lock your bedroom door and let the professionals handle it.

The police will eventually nail the bad guys. But it will happen faster if people pay attention to anything that looks out of the ordinary in their neighborhood.