AR-15 Rifle Stolen From State DEEP Vehicle In Wallingford: Police

WALLINGFORD, CT — An AR-15 rifle was stolen from a state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection vehicle in Wallingford last week, according to police.

An officer on routine patrol noticed around 6:25 a.m. on July 26 a vehicle parked in front of a home with one of its passenger windows smashed out, according to Sgt. Stephen Jaques.

“After investigation, officers determined that the vehicle contained an AR-15 rifle in a secured and locked police mount,” Jaques said in an email. “The entire mount and rifle had been stolen from the vehicle along with ammunition.”

The case is still under “active investigation,” and no further information was available as of Monday afternoon, according to Jaques.

Jaques said police investigated 11 total “smash and grab” type burglaries that happened during the overnight hours from July 25 into July 26 in Wallingford. Police believe the incidents could be related, according to Jaques.

“In all instances, it seems the suspects gained entry into vehicles parked in private driveways by smashing through windows,” Jaques said. “In some instances, items were stolen, in others they were not.”

The incidents were reported between 2 a.m. and 9 a.m. on July 26, according to Jaques.

“We'd like to inform and remind citizens to be cognizant of the fact that these types of thefts occur regularly throughout the State of Connecticut and urge them to do their best to remove valuable and highly sought after items from the vehicle and store them in their home or another safe location if vehicles are to be left outside of a locked garage,” Jaques wrote. “As always, if you must leave your car in your driveway, or on a public road or some other public area, ensure that your vehicle is locked and any potentially valuable items that were not removed are at the very least concealed from sight if someone was to peer through your window. Home surveillance systems are a great investment that can help further secure your home, property, and belongings and can help police investigate incidents to the greatest extent.”