ELKHART — It is summer, and that means mowing the lawn and doing other projects around the house. But for thieves in Elkhart County it means a whole new target — lawn equipment and power tools.

Police are investigating a rash of recent thefts and break-ins. Criminals are literally taking truckloads.

Rex Flickinger was getting his morning paper last week when he noticed something near his shed just wasn't quite right.

"I went out there and checked my riding lawnmower,” said Flickinger. “It's a Cub Cadet, 3 years old. About a $2,000 machine and it was gone."

Thieves have hit a number of garages and sheds in the area.

"The northwest side of the county — County Road Four, County Road Five area, and north and south of that — we've had an increase in burglaries and thefts," Said Capt. Sean Holmes of the Elkhart County Sheriff's Department.

Police say the thieves are turning the stolen items into quick cash.

“Typically what happens is a group of people will go to an area,” said Holmes. “They either live in that area or know that area very well, and will operate in the area."

Flickinger says he feels more than the loss of his lawnmower.

"It's like an invasion of your privacy, or whatever, that people come around and do this type of thing," he said.

Like many who have been hit, Flickinger says he definitely plans to keep a closer eye on his property and upgrade his security.

"I'm putting up a security light,” he said. “I'm also looking at putting up security alarms on the door itself, and maybe hook into the house — gives off a little signal that somebody is around."

Holmes agrees that heightened vigilance is needed.

"Their eyes will help us,” he said, “and all they have to do is make a phone call. When we take this information and give it to our officers, they are going to use that to focus their attention in those areas."

Elkhart County police are using a new computerized crime analysis program. It looks at crimes, possible suspects and trends. Police can then pass that on to neighborhood groups.