SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. -- A home surveillance system caught a glimpse of thieves stealing from a Seminole County family. The crooks broke into six cars and two homes in the Fern Park area.

The crimes could've so easily been prevented had neighbors simply locked their car doors. Now deputies want to get the word out, since the suspects are still on the loose.

The two suspects wore dark clothing and tried to hide in the shadows, but one was captured on a neighbor's home security camera. They took full advantage of the sense of security neighbors felt in the Fern Park community.

In Ron Knaus' case, the thieves snatched a garage door opener from his daughter-in-law's unlocked car out front and had instant access to the house. The garage door wasn't hooked up to the house alarm either.

"It just never entered my mind. So I didn't have a sensor on it," Knaus said.

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Thankfully, Knaus had a security system of a different sort. His dog Russell scared off the burglars before they could steal anything.

Ron Campbell, a few doors down wasn't as lucky. Again, the thieves used a garage door opener they grabbed from an unlocked car in the driveway, got into the house and stole a computer and his girlfriend's wallet.

"The fact that someone was so brazen enough to come walking into the house, not knowing what they would walk into, yeah, that really makes you pause," Campbell said.

Now everyone is on alert, locking their car doors. The thieves got into six cars. Some are upgrading their security systems.

Two neighbors admitted they're disappointed in themselves that they didn't take precautions to avoid becoming victims.

Deputies said it's a good lesson for everyone that crimes of opportunity can be prevented.