Following thefts from two parked vehicles Saturday, the New Canaan Police Department is urging visitors to local parks not to leave valuables in their cars.
A $500 purse, unsigned bank check in the amount of $400, passport and notebook with passwords to various accounts all were stolen from an unlocked car in Irwin Park, according to a press release issued by Police Chief Leon Krolikowski.
The theft was reported after the owner, who had set out to walk around 4:15 p.m. on Oct. 24, returned to the parked car at about 5:30 p.m., the press release said.
The owner of another car parked in Irwin found one of the rear passenger windows smashed upon returning to the vehicle at about 5:45 p.m. after a 45-minute walk, the chief said.
Damage also had been done to a corner of the front passenger-side window, the press release said.
The owner’s purse, which had been left on the front passenger side of the car, was missing, it said. It was worth about $2,000 and contained a black wallet worth $500 that had $50 cash inside, as well as credit cards and a bank debit card, Krolikowski said.
“Park visitors should not leave valuables in their vehicles,” he said in the press release.
“Never leave valuables in your vehicle,” Krolikowski said. “Often, identity theft occurs when drivers’ licenses and credit cards are stolen.”
Krolikowski reported at the Oct. 21 Police Commission meeting that larcenies from vehicles have more than doubled through the first nine months of the year—with 36 so far in 2020 compared to 14 for the same period in 2019.
“As you saw, we had another vehicle stolen the other day and 40 mailboxes entered,” he said at the meeting, held via videoconference. “So these criminals continue to come through town in the middle of the night and look for opportunities.”
It is undeniable that our town continues to be targeted day after day, week after week. Sometimes in broad daylight but often at night. Our police officers ought to let us the residents know what action/ investigative tactics are being done to catch these thieves.