14 Vehicles Stolen In Westport In A Month: Police

WESTPORT, CT — Over the past month, 14 vehicles have been reported stolen in Westport, and police officials are warning residents that there has been a "pronounced spike in property crimes" in the town over the past several weeks.

In mid-July, Westport police warned that such crimes were on the rise in town, but another spike in vehicle thefts and burglaries has authorities concerned.

Between July 30 and Aug. 4 alone, Westport police investigated the thefts of eight vehicles, "the highest known total within the shortest period of time in the nearly [20-year] period that [the department] has maintained computerized incident records," officials said.

The combined total value of the eight stolen vehicles is about $400,000, according to police.

"With all but one exception, these vehicles were stolen from the driveways of private residences," Westport police said. "In every single case, these vehicles were left unlocked and ignition keys were left within their passenger compartment. On each of these dates where stolen vehicle reports were taken from these private residences, complaints of numerous reports of motor vehicles being entered and/or burglarized have also been received from the surrounding neighborhoods."

On Tuesday, Westport police arrested an 18-year-old New Haven man in connection with a stolen vehicle case, in which the Honda had been reported stolen out of Shelton. This case started when a Richmondville Avenue resident saw that several unlocked vehicles in his driveway also had been burglarized.

"These burglaries can be presumed to be attempts at stealing these vehicles, however the perpetrators will also help themselves to any valuables found within them if ignition keys cannot be located," police said. "For those questioning whether this activity is limited to specific areas of Westport, the data has shown that this is clearly a town wide issue. It is indisputable fact that the frequency of these crimes is certainly increasing and will most likely only continue at the same pace if the perpetrators of these actions continue to be successful."

As a result, the Westport Police Department is urging residents to lock up their homes and vehicles at all times, because it is the "easiest and most effective way to reverse this negative trend."

Additionally, never leave the ignition keys inside the vehicle when it is otherwise unoccupied, "especially in circumstances where it will be left unsupervised for extended periods of time." Also do not leave valuables in a vehicle, such as wallets or electronics, especially not in plain view or in unsecured areas where they are otherwise easily accessible.

This is from the Westport police announcement:

These stolen cars are undoubtedly being used in the perpetration of other crimes, including but certainly not limited to additional motor vehicles burglaries and vehicle thefts. This is evident by the frequent encounters our officers have with confirmed stolen vehicles in the overnight hours, especially when responding to or investigating reports of motor vehicle burglaries or suspicious persons observed on private property. However, this is certainly not all these are being used for by the individuals seeking to steal them; a recent case illustrates this point. A vehicle taken from the driveway of a Westport residence during the early morning hours of Friday August 7, 2020, was recovered within a twenty-four-hour period within the city of Hartford. Noted by Hartford Police during the recovery were multiple bullet holes on the frame of the vehicle. The circumstances surrounding that apparent discharge of a firearm are unknown at this time.

Again, those seeking to perpetrate these crimes will not cease this behavior as long as they continue to encounter what they perceive as a target rich environment. Please understand that police are extremely limited in their capabilities of being able to quickly apprehend these suspects and that investigations can be drawn out over extended periods of time. Even in situations where vehicles and/or personal items are recovered quickly, in most cases significant damage has already been done. This can refer to actual damage to personal property, damage to personal credit, identity theft or direct monetary loss; with all of these circumstances being highly preventable through minimal effort. Simply stated, do not allow yourself to be victimized by those that seek to prey upon this community, please take the few seconds it requires to effectively secure your personal property from theft.