Syracuse police say they've seen a spike in burglaries in the university area since students returned to campus in august, urging people to lock their cars and homes.

Officers are taking an old-fashioned approach to prevent crime.

Syracuse police officers are going door to door speaking with neighbors and handing out door hangers with a simple message saying, "Burglaries are up in your area! Please lock your doors and windows."

Syracuse police sergeant Matthew Malinowski was looking for easy targets on Monday because he's a friendlier visitor than a burglar.

"They’re coming in during the day and if, you know, say this door is left open, and people don't leave these interior doors locked, they're going to come in and stealing everything they can," said Malinowski.

Since the middle of August, police say there have been more than 24 burglaries in the area. Some students like Sydney Chilewich are rattled.

"It was that house right across the street from us, so it's scary to see that,” said Chilewich. “My window looks at that house and there was a robbery there."

Police say people were home during four of the burglaries. On Monday afternoon, they found people napping with easy access to valuables.

"It can happen in seconds,” Malinowski said. “So if you're upstairs in your bathroom or bedroom, and you left your downstairs door unlocked, someone can see a laptop in a window, steal the laptop and be gone before you even know it."

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, about half of burglaries are unforced entry, so locking your door helps prevent crimes.

Police say the burglars are taking small valuables such as laptops, headphones, video game systems, jewelry, and purses. Students are taking the message to heart.

"You know it's definitely concerning,” said Syracuse student Michel Kosuth. “Living on my own in a house, it's a little scarier kind of being on your own. Knowing that the only thing between you and a burglar is one locked door or maybe not a locked door is definitely very scary."

Spectrum News spoke with a number of students, everyone knew of a story or two of a burglary.  Police say when people steal things and don't get caught; they get braver, so the robberies continue to happen.