Vehicle Stolen, Others Burglarized In New Canaan: Police Chief
NEW CANAAN, CT — Another vehicle was reported stolen from a New Canaan home on Friday, a continuation of an alarming trend of vehicle thefts in town over the past several months.
Friday's theft of a 2017 Infiniti QX60 was reported at about 10 a.m., and occurred in the driveway of a home on Summit Ridge Road, according to police Chief Leon Krolikowski. The vehicle, which has not been recovered, had been left unlocked with the keys inside, as have virtually every vehicle stolen in New Canaan over the past year or more.
"In addition to the stolen vehicle, multiple unlocked vehicles were entered," Krolikowski said in a statement. "Items were stolen from two of the vehicles. These crimes occurred during the early morning hours."
Those vehicle burglaries were as follows:
At approximately 7:59 AM on September 11, 2020, our Department received a complaint from an Orchard Drive resident that their unlocked vehicles were entered. Sunglasses were stolen from one the vehicles.
Between 7:39 AM and 7:54 AM on September 11, 2020, our Department received complaints from three separate residents on Old Stamford Road that their unlocked vehicles had been entered. A wallet containing credit cards was stolen from one of the vehicles. The credit cards were used in Fairfield and West Haven, CT. The other two residents of Old Stamford Road did not have items taken from their unlocked motor vehicles.
"From January 1, 2020, to September 11, 2020, there have been 21 stolen vehicles reported to the Department," Krolikowski said. "During this same time period, the Department received 34 reports of larcenies from motor vehicles.
"Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, criminal gangs are active throughout Fairfield County. In the past, some of the vehicles stolen in Fairfield County were used in violent crime.
"We urge our residents to be more cautious and practice good crime prevention strategies.
"This carelessness is putting our entire Town at risk."
Below are tips from the chief on how to avoid being a victim of a residential or vehicle theft or burglary:
1. KEYS: When unattended NEVER leave the key to your home or key/key fob to your car inside a vehicle or in a place where a thief can find them. Do not leave the valet key, key fob or garage door opener inside of your vehicle.
2. LIGHT UP YOUR HOME: At night, keep the perimeter of your home & driveway well lit. Low energy lighting switched on and off by photoelectric sensors (low light switches) is a cost-effective way to discourage criminals.
3. LOCK-UP: ALWAYS lock all doors, garage doors and windows of your car and home whenever you leave, day or night, even for a short time. If you have a garage, put your car in it and lock/alarm both the car and the garage. All of the thefts from vehicles and vehicle thefts that occur in our Town involve unlocked vehicles.
4. SECURE VALUABLES: NEVER leave valuables in your vehicle. Often, identity theft occurs when drivers’ licenses and credit cards are stolen.
5. USE YOUR ALARM SYSTEM: ALWAYS activate your home and car alarm systems. Many successful crimes that occur in our Town involve houses or cars that have alarm systems that were not activated.
6. SECURITY-VIDEO CAMERAS: Consider installing a good quality security/video camera that covers the interior/exterior of your residence and the street near it. The price point of camera systems has dropped recently making this a wise investment.
This article originally appeared on the New Canaan Patch
