Moundsville police are investigating dozens of car break-ins in the city.

Officials say pipeliners are the target and are sending a message to workers living at local trailer parks: Lock up your stuff.

Police say the majority of the reports are coming from Varlos Trailer Park on 12th Street, the Marshall County Fairground area, Pearl Street and Lockwood Avenue.

Officials with the Moundsville Police Department said it started about a week ago and since then, dozens of reports have been filed from frustrated people living in campgrounds around the city.

"A lot of the campgrounds have nice campers. Some people have nicer vehicles, nice trucks, equipment on the trucks," said Douglas Sayman of the Moundsville Police Department.

It's those things that have made these areas targets for thieves and some of the people living in them haven't made things easy on themselves.

"A lot of these people are from areas where they're vehicle might not need to be locked, like Texas or Arkansas, and they're not used to locking their vehicles," said Sayman.

But it's not just the break-ins that have plagued campgrounds like the ones along Twelfth Street. It's also vandalism.

"If they can't get into them we've noticed calls where vehicles are being keyed, multiple vehicles," said Sayman. "Not just one; it's a dozen in one area."

Residents are fed up, but there is something they can do to protect their belongings.

"Please lock your vehicles at night -- especially at night. Anything that someone might target," Sayman said.

Police are asking for the public's help before things get worse.

The department says they have a couple of suspects they are looking at but they are still working to strengthen their case.

They hope to file criminal charges soon but are still asking everyone to be vigilant and lock their vehicles.

Anyone with information is asked to call police or the NEWS9 Lauttamus Security Crime Busters Tipline at 800-862-BUST. Tips can also be emailed to crimebusters@wtov.com.