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Jacksonville undersheriff: 342 guns stolen from unlocked cars since January

Hundreds of guns have been stolen from unlocked cars in Jacksonville.

That's what Undersheriff Pat Ivey told city leaders this week during a presentation at City Hall.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said thousands of cars have been broken into this year, a problem Action News Jax has covered a lot over the years and that police now say has led to hundreds of stolen guns ending up on our streets.

This year, responses to 911 calls by the Sheriff's Office are up more than 13 percent.

Some of those calls are from people whose cars were burglarized.

Ivey told city leaders there have been more than 5,400 car break-ins this year.

“About six out of 10 cars are unlocked, and then look at the hundreds of firearms that are stolen,” Ivey said.

In all, Ivey said, 342 guns have been stolen from unlocked cars since January.

“That’s scary,” Cecil Bazley, a father, said.

On Thursday, Action News Jax spoke with some local fathers about the amount of stolen guns that could be on our streets.

“Getting into the cars and taking the guns -- they don’t have good intent. It makes it even scarier,” Bazley said.

"If you’re going to be a weapon carrier or holder, you definitely have to be careful," David Parrish, a father, said.

The Sheriff's Office has tried different approaches to addressing the issues, including talking with neighbors about the importance of locking cars and taking weapons inside, and using Facebook and Twitter to remind people at 9 p.m. to lock their cars.

“As Americans, we have the right to bear arms. I 100 percent stand behind that, but with that is responsibility,” Bazley said.

“Doesn’t matter what neighborhood you live (in). Just, people want things, they’re going to take them. So you gotta be careful and keep your eyes open,” Parrish said.

The Sheriff's Office #9PMRoutine social media campaign not only urges people to lock their cars but also to remove any valuables and, yes, weapons too, from vehicles. For more information on the #9PMRoutine, click here.