Greenwich Police Warn Residents Of New Trend In Car Thefts

GREENWICH, CT — Police are warning residents about a new trend in car thefts, which began in Westchester County and is now occurring around Greenwich.

Car thieves are now committing burglaries from homeowners in order to get car keys to steal cars, police said.

Most recently on Feb. 22 at approximately midnight, car thieves entered a home in the backcountry to take the homeowner's keys to steal their car from the garage, police said.

When they went into the home, they triggered the alarm and fled, police said, adding that the thieves then went to a home on Round Hill Road near the New York border and stole two cars from the driveway; the keys were left inside the cars.

Greenwich detectives ultimately recovered the stolen cars in New Jersey. No arrests have been made, and an investigation remains ongoing.

The majority of suspects stealing cars in Greenwich are from out of state, police noted.

The GPD has assigned detectives to task forces in New York and New Jersey to identify and arrest the people suspected of committing car thefts in the Greenwich area.

"We have improved our communication channels with Westchester County Police and now have direct and real-time communication abilities with their agency," the GPD said in a news release. "Extra patrols have been added at times, and in the areas of Greenwich, the car thieves have frequently been operating. We are leveraging available technology and utilizing all investigative measures in each case."

The GPD is also in contact with Stanford Superior Court on its car theft investigations.

"We will continue to do everything we can to disrupt, identify, and arrest those persons committing car thefts in the town of Greenwich.," the GPD said.

Police are reminding residents to remove keys from their vehicles and make sure they're locked. Doors and windows to garages, as well as homes, should also be locked.

"We urge residents not to keep their keys in sight of windows or doors, such as on a key hook or basket next to an entrance," police said. "When not home, alarms, if equipped, should be armed and use the 'stay' mode when home during the overnight hours."

Residents should never engage or contact suspicious people who are on their property. Call 911 immediately for a rapid response.