[The video above, provided to New Canaan Police by a resident, shows a criminal trying to enter vehicles before dawn on Oct. 30, but they’re locked and so nothing is taken.]
New Canaan residents had several cars stolen and illegally entered with items stolen from inside them during an apparent multi-day crime spree that started last Thursday, police say.
In addition, on Oct. 26 and 29, authorities received reports of a stolen push blower and leaf blower in the southeastern corner of town, respectively, with the latter taken from an open garage on Cedar Lane in the early afternoon, according to a press bulletin issued by Police Chief Leon Krolikowski.
The reported car thefts, attempted thefts and larcenies from vehicles were as follows:
- Weed Street and Richmond Hill Road at 1:24 a.m. on Oct. 28: Officers dispatched on a report of a 2016 Land Rover stolen. Keys had been left in the vehicle along with a checkbook, laptop and paperwork. Hours later, the SUV was found on another Weed Street property.
- Park Street at 7:35 a.m. on Oct. 28: Officers dispatched on a report of a 2012 Audi A4 stolen from the residence. The car was locked with the key fob inside the residence, on a table by the front door.
- Overlook Drive at 7:23 p.m. on Oct. 28: Resident reports that a Ring doorbell camera captured an individual at 12:40 a.m. trying to open the side door of a 2022 Ford Edge. The door was locked and the suspect can be seen running back to two vehicles waiting in the street.
- Shady Knoll Lane at 12:29 a.m. on Oct. 30: Officers were dispatched to the residence on a report of an individual attempting to enter a parked car. Video surveillance showed the suspect trying to open a locked door, then seeing that the driver’s side window is down and reaching in to unlock it and enter the car. The vehicle’s alarm went off and the suspect ran off.
- Fox Run Road at 3:50 a.m. on Oct. 30: Hamden Police contacted NCPD to report that a vehicle owned by a resident on Fox Run Road had been in a car crash in their town. The owners of the car confirm with police that their vehicle had been stolen. It was left unlocked with the keys inside. While investigating, police find an abandoned Toyota Camry on Mariomi Road that had been stolen out of New Haven.
- Shady Knoll Lane at 5:34 p.m. on Oct. 30: Officers are dispatched to a resident regarding a report of a bottle of perfume stolen from an unlocked Land Rover at their residence. A neighbor also captured video of a suspect trying to enter their jeep at 12:30 a.m.
Despite the recent spree, police say that overall stolen cars and larcenies from motor vehicles are down in 2022 compared to last year. Through the first nine months of 2022, stolen cars are down from 33 to 13 while larcenies from motor vehicles have declined from 34 to 25, according to data shared at the Oct. 19 Police Commission meeting.
Krolikowski in the press bulletin urged residents to lock their cars and homes, taking keys and valuables inside.