Police say these are crimes of opportunity and if that's taken away, thieves will move on

GUILFORD, CT — Brazen home burglaries in Guilford and Branford Thursday, and car thefts in both towns and in Madison, prompted police to urge residents to not just keep their cars locked, but their homes as well.

In a Facebook post, Guilford police shared a surveillance photo of a young man in black wearing a blue face mask, and noted that he was "not only was involved in attempting to steal and successfully stole cars" from Guilford, Madison and Branford Thursday morning, "but also burglarized these homes to steal the keys for the cars they stole."

Police said that the man, and other "criminals" when attempting to steal cars encountered locked cars, as police advise, and then broke into homes to find those keys.

"They decided to search for unlocked doors in the victims houses, waltz inside and steal the keys to the locked cars in the driveways and garages," police wrote, adding that it was 6 a.m. and the suspects "did not care that the homeowners were home, that there was a dog in the house, or that it was daylight and they could be see."

And while inside, they "stole credit cards, small electronics, wallets, purses and checkbooks," police said. "They remained in the houses for short periods of time and were in and out of these various neighborhoods on the shoreline in minutes."

Branford police Deputy Police Chief John Alves said a Pawson Park home was also broken into with car keys and a purse stolen. And is the same suspect seen in Guilford.

Guilford police said that in three stolen cars, suspects drove to Naugatuck and "went on a spending spree with the stolen credit cards of multiple victims" and then "ditched 2 out of the 3 stolen cars in Waterbury."

Waterbury police helped Guilford police "track" the cars and identify this young man pictured.

"This is an unfortunate reality we are facing," police said, adding that "criminals don’t care about consequences or if they hurt anyone."

Police said that patrols will be stepped up but they "rely heavily on the community to call us when they see or hear something suspicious."

"You know your neighbors, neighborhoods and when something or someone is suspicious where you live," police ask that folks call. "We will respond if and when you need us" every hour of every day.

Guilford police Chief Warren "Butch" Hyatt told Patch that the best way to prevent these crimes is for residents to lock cars, lock doors in homes and especially to lock doors between garages and the home. In the case of the dawn burglary, that's how the thieves got in; through a garage door entrance to the house. Crimes of opportunity, Hyatt said folks can take way that opportunity.

"This is something the region, the whole state, has been dealing with," he said, noting that communities like Guilford are targeted for a number of reasons, including the chances that thieves will find "higher-end vehicles."

And, Hyatt said, "They are looking for neighborhoods that are quiet and dark so they can get in and out without being seen or heard."

To that point, Hyatt reiterated what police shared in the Facebook post.

"Everybody out there are our eyes and ears," he said.

He said if residents "see anything suspicious at your house, your neighbor's house, if someone is walking through a yard at 3:30 a.m., give us a call."

"We can't be everywhere so we need people to contact us, let us come out and determine if it's your neighbor getting home late or something nefarious."

And he said police can use Ring or Nest video of what could be suspicious activity to "build a case."

In Branford, Alves said that the troubling trend of young people stealing cars and theft from vehicles continues, but he said it's usually, "from unlocked vehicles and also stealing the vehicle when keys are left inside. In rare instances, the suspects are entering homes through unlocked doors in an attempt to locate a nearby set of keys, purse or other valuables."

Rare but not unheard of. On Thursday, a home was broken into from an unlocked garage door.

Alves said that a person went into the first floor of a Pawson Park home via an unlocked garage door and stole a purse from inside the home. Alves said the person is the same one "connected to the thefts which occurred in Guilford and Madison."

"Our detectives are working closely with detectives in Guilford and Madison and have identified a juvenile suspect in the case," he said, adding his thanks for the investigative collaboration that will lead to "an arrest warrant (that) will be obtained on this case."

Alves said that in the overnight hours Thursday, a juvenile from New York was arrested "after an alert patrol officer located him attempting to steal a Dodge Charger off the lot of a car dealership on West Main Street."

"If we don’t catch these suspects in the act, it becomes very difficult to make an apprehension because these suspects are always willing to engage us in pursuit. The dangers are too great and it’s against state and department policy to engage in pursuit for these property crimes. We work hard to follow up on all motor vehicle theft cases but often evidence is limited, therefore, it’s very important for our community members to contact us if they observe suspicious behavior and keep their homes and vehicles secure by locking up."