Two men have been charged with larceny of a motor vehicle after several cars were reported missing this week.

Quonte Kshon Moore, 18, of Maple Street in Chocowinity, was arrested Aug. 29; Malik Isaiah Thompson, 21, of John Small Avenue in Washington, was arrested Thursday night. Moore is accused of stealing a car on the 600 block of Washington Street in Washington on Aug. 26 between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. Thompson is accused of two motor vehicle thefts on Wednesday morning — one from Water Street and another from Larson Road, according to a press release from the Washington Police Department.

While it is unclear whether Moore’s and Thompson’s alleged crimes are related, one similarity applied to all three thefts: keys were left overnight in unsecured vehicles by their owners.

“It all comes down to you had people making bad decisions, and they just happened to find people who’d left their keys in cars at night, unlocked on the street,” said Capt. William Chrismon, spokesman for the police department.

All three vehicles were reported missing, found abandoned and returned to their owners, Chrismon said.

Chrismon encouraged city residents to secure their belongings: firearms, laptops, money, keys — anything of value.

“We would just really like people to lock their stuff up so we don’t have to investigate stuff walking, driving, riding away,” Chrismon said. “We need the community’s help in locking things up. Not that you shouldn’t be able to leave stuff in your yard without it being taken, but that’s what happens.”

Moore was charged with larceny of motor vehicle, possession of stolen motor vehicle, breaking and entering a motor vehicle, felony larceny, and obtaining property by false pretense and placed in the Beaufort County Detention Center under a $1,000 bond. Thompson was charged with two counts of larceny of motor vehicle, possession of stolen motor vehicle and obtaining property by false pretense and was placed in detention under a $50,000 bond.

Thompson and others may face additional charges pending investigation, the press release stated.