Three Cars Stolen, 15 Burglarized Overnight in West Hartford: Police

West Hartford Police are advising residents to take precautions to protect their vehicles after there were at least 15 car break-ins Tuesday night into Wednesday morning and three cars were stolen, including one while it was warming up in the driveway.

Lt. Ted Stoneburner said police have seen an uptick in car burglaries and thefts with the onset of cold weather and the holidays approaching.

“This has always been a crime of opportunity in the colder months and we recommend at least locking your vehicle before you leave unattended,” Stoneburner said.

• To sign up for West Hartford breaking news alerts and more, click here.

The Hartford Courant reports the running car was stolen from a driveway on Elmfield Street and other break-ins were reported across town in the areas between Prospect Avenue to the east and Trout brook Avenue to the West, north and south of Farmington Avenue.

The West Hartford Police Department offers residents the following car break-in prevention and awareness tips:

If you see suspicious activity or a break-in in progress:

• Report it!
• Call 911 immediately
• Give as much information to dispatcher as possible
• Location of the incident: Address, cross street, specific location in a parking lot
• Description of the suspect: gender, race, age, height, weight, hair, facial hair, clothing- style and color, identifying marks- tattoos/piercings.
• Direction: Give the direction of travel if the suspect flees. If the suspect flees in a vehicle, give the description of the vehicle- color, make & license plate.
• Description of the victim’s vehicle: Give the color, make, model & license plate.

Crime Prevention & Awareness

The old adage “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”, is truer today than ever before.

In simple terms: if you like it, lock it!

Never leave anything valuable inside your vehicle

Take with you, leave at home, or store in your trunk the following:

GPS - common item stolen during a car break in.

Personal bags:

• Purse

• Handbag

• Wallet

• Gym bag

• Backpack

• Brief case

Cell phone

MP3 / Ipods

Laptops / Tablets

Electronic handheld games

Chargers – (thief may assume that the device to be charged is hidden under the seat or interior compartment)

Loose change

Parking

• Park in a well-lit location
• Avoid having your car concealed by larger vehicles, fences or foliage; thieves like to work in private.
• Stow valuables before parking: experienced thieves often stake out parking lots to watch for people putting items in their trunk. Help prevent car break-ins by putting valuables into your trunk before you get to the parking lot.
• Lock your doors
• Windows up
• Engage your alarm
• Take your keys with you.
• If you think you have a great hiding place for a spare key, thieves know to look above the visor, in the center console, under the floor mat, in the trunk, etc.
• If you park your vehicle in a garage at home, lock your garage doors.