SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Police said a wallet belonging to U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., was stolen when his rental car was broken into while he was in Indiana to attend a college football game during the weekend.

Martinez, his wife and son had driven from Chicago to attend the Stanford-Notre Dame football game Saturday and the wallet was inadvertently left on the front seat of the car in the driveway of Notre Dame professor emeritus Jay Dolan in nearby Granger.

A neighbor later found Martinez's wallet in his yard. The senator's credentials were intact, but $180 in cash was missing.

Thieves often target cars with out-of-state license plates during football weekends, and at least 10 vehicles in St. Joseph County were reported broken into Saturday and Sunday, Sgt. Bill Redman said.

Martinez's nephew, Eric Maust, is a punter for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.