SCITUATE — In a burst of illegal activity, thieves stole items from 14 unlocked cars on three occasions in June, police Capt. David M. Randall said yesterday.

The latest in the rash of thefts took place between Monday night and yesterday morning, he said, adding that cars parked in driveways or near residences were targeted.

“We’ve got some problems with this,” he said. “We are going to need help to find these people,” he said.

Randall said the thefts have been concentrated in the Hope section of town, but that the thieves also have targeted cars in nearby Cranston and Johnston. He said most of the incidents occurred after 11 p.m., but there have been exceptions.

On one occasion, he said, a woman came home from the supermarket and carried some groceries into her house. When she returned to the car, parked in her driveway, her purse had been stolen.

“In two cases the cars were inside attached garages with the door open,” Randall said.

The stolen items amount to “a whole litany of things, totaling over $10,000,” he said.

Randall listed some of the items as “technical equipment, computer equipment, cell phones, iPods, GPS units, satellite radios, laptop computers — it goes on and on,” he said. “In a couple of cases golf clubs were taken, or articles typically found in a woman’s purse — checks, credit cards, cash and jewelry.”

He said that two of the looted cars had keys in the ignition, but no attempt was made to steal them.

Randall said the police have no suspects yet, but are coordinating with the police departments in Cranston and Johnston.

Johnston and Cranston are also getting hit, predominantly in their west ends,” he said.

In Scituate the crimes have been concentrated in the Howard Avenue area, Kent View Drive, Betty Pond Road, and side roads leading from each of those.

“Howard Avenue got whacked really hard,” he said, “and Cranberry Drive and adjacent side roads. We are looking to get the word out that this is occurring, and it’s a heavy trend. We want to get the message out that we need people’s cooperation to not keep valuables in motor vehicles — certainly not in plain view — and to lock the vehicles and take the keys. And park in a manner which possibly would be a deterrent to opportunists — areas close to houses with windows open so you might be able to hear something. Or under street lights, near motion-detected lights, or where a dog would be. Any and all suspect activity should be reported immediately.”

Randall said the police believe the thief or thieves are dropped off “surreptitiously and work through the neighborhoods. They definitely have a scheme to avoid detection. Whether they’re using cell phones or walkie-talkies we don’t know.”

Recalling that the police in May solved an outbreak of catalytic converter thefts [they contain platinum, a precious metal that is recyclable], Randall said, “This is just another extension of that. When the economy is bad, crimes like this start to prosper. It behooves people to take extra measures and extra steps to be safe, and keep their property secure. These are crimes of opportunity. If you eliminate the opportunity you eliminate the crime.”

tmorgan@projo.com