Getting the kids out of the car and into daycare can be a chaotic and stressful time. Police say thieves are using that to their advantage. The Kent County Sheriff's Office is warning parents that thieves are targeting their vehicles while they drop their kids off at school and daycare.

WZZM-13 reports that police are investigating 10 related thefts in the past month at schools, daycares, gyms, and parks in West Michigan.

Authorities say thieves are robbing both locked and unlocked vehicles. If the vehicle is locked, they'll break a window. It's believed the thieves are experienced, using rental cars to pull up next to a vehicle, robbing it the moment the driver leaves. They are taking purses, wallets, and other personal items, and then using that information to open credit cards and rent vehicles in the victims' names.

Kentwood Police confirm two cases occurred at a daycare in which a purse and a back pack were stolen

Similar thefts have been occurring across the state, and all over the U.S.

Some parents say they've received calls or emails from their kid's school or daycare center to leave valuables at home and make sure they are locking their vehicles. Police also recommend securing valuables in the trunk.

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