Most of the time, all is quiet in the C-section of Palm Coast, an area where saltwater canals wind past some of the city's oldest homes.

About two weeks ago, though, the normally quiet area of Flagler County was riddled with crime when about a dozen vehicles were broken into by thieves.

Three other homes were hit a few miles away, on Fisher Lane.

Flagler County Sheriff's Office investigators believe a group of teens out of Daytona Beach was coming to the area, looking for guns and, if keys were left in the vehicles, they were stolen, too.

A break in the case came last week in Volusia County, though.

Daytona Beach Police Department Sgt. John Creamer said deputies "dropped in" behind a car last weekend. Deputies followed the car into Flagler County and then south to Brevard County.

Three people inside the vehicle were arrested, Creamer said.

"Now, we're working diligently to go back and confirm these are our suspects in Flagler's (cases)," Creamer said.

One resident of the C-section was shocked at the number of car break-ins. He said many residents don't lock their cars because not much crime happens in the area.

Sue Slomin, also a Palm Coast resident, doesn't buy that. She has been in the area for about 12 years and saw her neighbor's home broken into three years ago.

"I'm from New York, so we learned our lesson up there," Slomin said. "So, now that we're down here, we make sure that we lock our car if we leave it out."

Cmdr. Mark Carman, of the Flagler County Sheriff's Office, said things can — and do — happen anywhere.

"We don't want to alarm people, and that is a nice way to live," Carman said. "Unfortunately, these things do happen, and we do have to take some responsibility and use some due caution."

That means lock car doors and keep valuables out of sight, Carman said.

Dayton Beach police officials said they have plenty of fingerprints and other evidence connecting the same group to about a dozen cases. Investigators are comparing that evidence to the three teens arrested last weekend.

In the meantime, Flagler County Sheriff's Office deputies have stepped up neighborhood patrols in an effort to cut down on the break-ins.