The number of vehicles stolen from New Canaan has nearly doubled in 2024, statistics show.
The town saw the number of stolen vehicles rise from 17 to 33 through the first nine months of the year, according to data presented by New Canaan Police Chief John DiFederico.
Asked whether the thefts track with what’s happening across Fairfield County, the chief said, “Yes they do.”
“This is not just a New Canaan thing,” he told members of the Police Commission during their most recent meeting, held Oct. 16 in Town Hall and via videoconference. “It’s certainly a regional epidemic.”
The comments came during a discussion of monthly statistics that the department brings before the Commission at each meeting.
DiFederico noted that police officers in this calendar year have “significantly increased” the number of motor vehicle stops, as well as use of radar (from 243 to 448 year-over-year) and lasers (four to 24, calculating driver speed), selective enforcement (1,853 to 1.994) and motor vehicle violations (2,271 to 2,391).
Through the first nine months of 2024, the department’s “location checks” also are up significantly, from 747 to 1,217, according to the data.
“Officers are checking the parks, checking the schools and those areas for car break-ins and those sorts of things,” DiFederico said. “So they’re out there checking quite a bit.”
NCPD stolen vehicle investigations often show that cars and SUVs are left unlocked in many driveways, with keys inside.
Complaints of vandalism also have risen significantly this year, from 20 to 54, the data show.
DiFederico noted that many of those complaints refer to graffiti whose perpetrators Office Nicole Vartuli—the most recent Community Impact Officer, patrolling downtown New Canaan— “is working hard to identify.” (The town saw a run of complaints this spring in Bristow Park and the downtown.)
The bigger the town, the more people. What can you expect. New Canaan is changing into a mini NYC…
No it isn’t. Like any healthy community, New Canaan has evolved over time. Things change here, slowly and almost always for the better—think of the new library, renovated Playhouse, “restaurant row” on Forest Street, rediscovery and restoration of Bristow Park, emergence of the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society, Jeniam Meadow at Waveny, Emad’s Apple Cart at Mead, root beer float at Van Leeuwen Ice Cream or Caffeine & Carburetors—but there’s been no significant population increase in 50-plus years. Thank you for submitting your comment.
In NYC, people don’t leave their cars unlocked. Most thefts in New Canaan are unlocked cars with the keys in the car. And the rest of New Canaanites pay the price through higher insurance premiums.
Good reply, Michael. Would be interesting and telling to know how many thefts were facilitated by people leaving cars unlocked and with key fob in them?