The Ramsey County Sheriff’s office tells 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS a relatively new trend of so-called “slider crimes” is hitting the metro, and it’s happening “more and more every day.”

Ramsey County Sheriff’s Deputy Alicia Ouellette says the suspects often block another car and then one of them will come up along the passenger side door, quickly slide into the car — sometimes with the driver still present — and steal any valuables they can grab and then disappear.

“They’re taking those quick little seconds to slide right in, grab and go,” Ouellette said. “Where somebody’s driving up along beside you and I am looking away, they’re over here and they’re going through the passenger side of my car and I’m paying my gas. So that’s the hard part.”

Ouellette said the suspects are looking for valuables such as cell phones, computers, purses and even driver’s licenses, which can, in some cases, lead to identity theft.

“And then they create a new credit card under your name and defraud that way, and they might use your cards real quickly at a store,” Ouellette said.

Ouellete said it is hard to tell how often these types of crimes are being committed because there is not a specific category for them, but she said they are happening every day.

“They’re usually classified as a robbery, theft, or even identity theft,” she said.

Deputy Ouellette said the best, simple advice for people is to be “aware of their surroundings, take all your valuables and lock your car doors.”