ELKHART, Ind. (WSBT) — Two incidents of vehicle vandalism happened just days apart at hotels in Elkhart.

The vehicles were broken into at hotels on Elkhart’s north side.

These break-ins happened last Tuesday and Thursday at the Holiday Inn Express on Sunny Dr. and Fairfield inn on Plaza Ct.

The hotel owners have been working closely with police.

“The hotel owners obviously want their guests to be as safe as possible. So, they work very closely with us, and we’re very fortunate for that,” said Chief Dan Milanese, Elkhart Police Department.

Nearly 20 cars were broken into or had items stolen.

Some things taken include a Nintendo switch, iPhone, laptops, and even a coffee machine.

Police said you should avoid leaving valuable items in plain sight in your vehicles, especially when staying at hotels or while you’re away from your car.

“And again, those valuables that you want, again, especially firearms, electronics, things like that, you obviously want to keep those with you at all times. And that’s kind of the biggest thing is is make sure that if it’s not there, they can’t take it,” said Milanese.

Just in this area, there are about 15 hotels, but only a few were impacted by the recent vandalism.

Hotels can be a target for car thefts and break-ins due to the amount of stuff people keep in their cars while traveling.

Being aware of your surroundings, who and what’s around you as well as parking in well-lit areas that can deter thefts.

“I mean, obviously, people want to do things where they want to be, if they’re gonna be breaking law, they’re gonna want to be discreet about it. And obviously, a well-lit area doesn’t allow for that,” said Milanese.

Police are still investigating. If you know anything, reach out to police.