Bag Pirates Targeting Parked Cars At Southington Gas Stations: PD

SOUTHINGTON, CT — Brazen bandits have been targeting bags left unattended in parked vehicles at Southington gas stations and restaurants, police said Monday.

This month, seven reports of such thefts were reported, police said. Police said that the cars involved were either parked, unoccupied and unlocked or pulled up to a gas pump. Thieves have been pulling alongside the cars while the owners were either in the stores or pumping gas and grabbing the bags, police said.

In each instance, the purses and backpacks that were in plain view, police said.

Police said thefts are part of an ongoing investigation.

Here is a timeline of the thefts:

• Sept. 4, 8:06 p.m. A bag was stolen from a car at the Food Bag, 960 Meriden Waterbury Turnpike.
• Sept. 6, 3:47 p.m. A driver was pumping gas at the Mobil station, 1896 Meriden Waterbury Turnpike. Arriving the scene was a silver Audi Q5, which was confirmed to have been stolen out of Wolcott. A suspect exited the passenger door of the vehicle, removed purse from inside of the victim's car, then left at a high rate of speed.
• Sept. 7, 10 a.m. A woman was pumping gas at the Sunoco Gas Station, 398 Main St., when her purse was stolen out the passenger side of her vehicle.
• Sept. 8, 4:51 p.m. A vehicle owner entered Salsa’s Southwest Grill. Someone then entered a vehicle and removed a purse.
• Sept. 10, 8:18 p.m. A purse was stolen from a vehicle at the T/A Travel Center on Meriden-Waterbury Road, while its owner was pumping gas. A vehicle pulled up on the opposite side and a juvenile stole her purse.
• Sept. 12, 11:04 a.m. A purse was stolen at the Mobil station, 1896 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike, while a person was pumping gas. The driver of a white BMW SUV exited his vehicle, entered the passenger side of the parked and stole a purse.
• Sept. 12, 11:20 a.m. A Black diaper bag was stolen from a front passenger seat while a driver was pumping gas at the Food Bag, 960 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike. The vehicle matched the description of that at the Mobil theft moment earlier in the day.

Local police were also reminding residents Monday to lock vehicles whenever they are left unoccupied. While at gas stations, drivers should remove keys and lock the vehicle when entering a store or even to pump gas. Purses and bags of any type should be kept out of view, police said.

Anyone with information or videos from any motor vehicle-related burglary or theft, can share it with the Southington Police Department Auto Theft Task Force via email at autotheft@southingtonpolice.org.

Police Monday were also reminding residents to lock vehicles, even if they are parked in front of a house, in a driveway or inside a garage.

"Criminals like to walk down the street to see if a car is unlocked," police said. "If it is they open the door and take whatever is visible and move on to the next target. However, if the door is locked, they are more likely to move on."