Police: Reports of ‘Suspicious People’ Rise with Motor Vehicle Thefts

The number of calls New Canaan Police are receiving about “suspicious” people in vehicles has risen dramatically this year, officials said Wednesday.

Through August, the total number of such calls was up 34% year-over-year, from 192 to 257, according to data shared at a regular meeting of the Police Commission.

“It’s an interesting development,” Police Chief Leon Krolikowski said in response to a question about why the figure is up so much. 

“And I suspect there are a portion of our residents who are seeing suspicious activity and calling us because of the stolen vehicles and thefts from vehicles, et cetera,” Krolikowski said during the meeting, held via videoconference .” And that has resulted in that uptick. But sadly, there is another percentage of residents that are just not paying attention and their cars are getting stolen, things are getting stolen from their cars. So the good news is the message is getting out there about calling us when people see suspicious vehicles or activity. And we are responding to that. But the bad news is our residents are not fully absorbing the message of locking their cars and securing their valuables.”

In July and August, larcenies from vehicles more than tripled year-over-year, from 20 to 61, the chief reported. Thefts of motor vehicles more than doubled in the same period, from 15 to 32.

Police have issued safety tips for residents every time New Canaan is targeted for motor vehicles thefts. Krolikowski has said that some people here are putting others at risk by failing to lock their cars and leaving the keys inside them.

Asked whether the suspicious person calls could be tied to something other than the car thefts, Krolikowski said, “It could be a variety.”

“We want them to call us when they see activity that is suspicious, because sometimes it binds criminal activity,” Krolikowski said. He referred to an incident in July, when a resident reported suspicious activity that led to the arrest of three Stamford teens illegally entering cars on Richmond Hill Road.