Orange Police Issue Warning About Vehicle Thefts And Break-Ins

ORANGE, CT — Vehicle thefts and vehicle break-ins are on the rise in Orange and throughout Connecticut, and as a result, the Orange Police Department is warning residents to be vigilant to avoid falling victim to such crimes.

"A common denominator in almost all these incidents is that the vehicles have been left unlocked," said Orange Assistant Police Chief Max Martins. "Besides the theft of personal items, this has also led to the theft of many vehicles with the keys left inside."

Over the past two weeks, three vehicles were reported stolen from local businesses in which the owners had left their vehicles running and unoccupied for a short period of time, according to Martins.

The Orange Police Department offers the following tips to avoid a vehicle break-in or theft:

• Do not leave vehicles unattended, both at commercial establishments and in your own driveway. As the weather gets colder, people are tempted to start their vehicles to warm the engine up or keep the engine running when they make a quick stop.
• With the holiday right around the corner, please do not leave packages visible inside your unoccupied vehicles as you do your shopping. Unfortunately, history has shown us that there are people who roam parking lots this time of year looking for easy targets.
• Lastly, please remember to remove keys and valuables from your vehicle and make sure all doors are locked. We encourage everyone to call the police if they see any suspicious activity in their neighborhood. Please do not approach nor confront suspicious persons.