Two stolen vehicles were discovered late Thursday afternoon in the Bedford, Iowa, area.

Both vehicles were reported as stolen early last week in Maryville. One vehicle was stolen Monday night from the 600 block of North Market St. and another was stolen Tuesday night from the 700 block of West Torrance.

Keith Wood, director of the Maryville Department of Public Safety, said he received a phone call from Taylor County reporting they had found a stolen vehicle in the Bedford Reservoir. Wood said he let them know they had another stolen vehicle reported, and asked if they could keep their eye out. The second stolen vehicle was discovered later that same afternoon in a farm pond in Bedford.

Wood said he believes both incidents are related, and added while they don’t have anyone in custody, they are pursuing leads.

Along with the two auto thefts, Wood said there were also several vehicle break-ins.

While the two thefts were likely related, Wood said the break-ins were in random locations all over town, and not in any particular pattern.

He added that some of the vehicles involved in last week’s crimes were not locked.

“I strongly encourage people to please lock your car doors,” he said. “They can help us help the public by locking their doors.”

None of the vehicles involved were those of high value, but Wood said those are vehicles that someone relied on to transport themselves.

“By placing them into bodies of water — when they could have just let them sit somewhere so they could be recovered and used later — they’ve went a step farther, and now they’re not useful at all.”

Wood said these types of crimes happen at all times of the year, but that perhaps people that would have more time on their hands during the summer months, use that time to participate in those types of illegal activities.

Items taken from five or six cars last week were described as not highly valuable and ones that were sitting in plain view by Wood. He said that thankfully they weren't tearing out stereo systems or anything like that.

“After locking your doors, make sure your valuables are out of sight,” he added. “If it’s something like a large collection of CDs, cover them up.”

Wood said that his midnight shift does regular patrols to record any abnormal activity. With a record of who was out doing something on certain nights, Wood said they can later use that connection if any crime or incidents happen in an area where those people may have been sighted.

“It just gives us a starting place,” he said.

Wood asks that residents keep an eye out for things like this and to report anything you might think is unusual to the MDPS. He also asked that anyone with any knowledge of the car theft/break in activities report it to the MDPS.

“You never know if you have a piece of the puzzle that solves it,” he said.

The Maryville Department of Public Safety can be reached at (660) 562-3209.