Lock Your Doors, Fairfield Police Say After Many Cars Entered Overnight In Southport Area

FAIRFIELD, CT — Fairfield police are urging residents to lock their cars, after officers responded Wednesday to numerous reports of vehicles being entered overnight in and near Southport, according to authorities.

“The vast majority of the vehicles entered were unlocked,” Lt. Eddie Weihe said in an email. “While most of the vehicles were rummaged through with nothing of value taken, the Fairfield Police Department takes these matters very seriously and will continue to investigate with the goal of identifying, charging, and prosecuting the violators.”

The first report of people checking car doors came just after 1:30 a.m. on Pease Avenue, according to police, who arrived in the area to find a Toyota Matrix occupied by four masked people. The vehicle fled to southbound Interstate 95, police said, noting that the car was determined to be stolen. Six thefts from vehicles were also confirmed nearby, according to police.

About an hour after the first report, a caller told authorities there were three masked people on her property in the 100 block of Tide Mill Terrace, according to police, who saw a juvenile running and entering a gray Subaru that had been traveling on Overhill Road. The SUV fled, eventually entering southbound Interstate 95, police said, adding three thefts from vehicles were confirmed on Overhill Road.

Later Wednesday, a report came in of people trying to enter a car overnight in the 100 block of Woodrow Avenue, and incidents of vehicles being entered overnight were reported in the 100 block of Sasco Hill Road and the 700 block of Mill Hill Terrace, according to police.

All the reports are under investigation, police said.

“In the meantime, the Fairfield Police Department cannot stress enough that the first line of defense in preventing thefts from motor vehicles lies with the vehicle owner,” Weihe said in the email. “Ensure all doors are locked when the vehicle is not in use, and do not leave valuable items in the vehicle.”