Multiple Motor Vehicles Entered Overnight in Two Areas of Darien

There were two sets of overnight motor vehicle burglaries in Darien last week, one set in Noroton overnight Monday to Tuesday; the other on streets off of Mansfield Avenue overnight Friday to Saturday. Each of the burglaries are thought to be related to others on the same night.

Darien police are working with Norwalk police, who also reported vehicles entered in Rowayton, within about 2.5 miles from the ones near Mansfield Avenue. Three vehicles that were unlocked and had keys in them were stolen from Rowayton, and a vehicle stolen from Torrington was found in Norwalk.

Update, 6:37 p.m. — Norwalk police released this statement about motor vehicles entered and, in some cases, stolen in Rowayton: 

Don’t make it this easy!

During the early morning hours on March 25, 2017 individuals entered several unlocked vehicles in Rowayton. These individuals stole two vehicles that had been left unlocked with the keys in them. One of the stolen vehicles was recovered in Waterbury. Norwalk Officers located a vehicle that had been stolen in Torrington abandoned in Rowayton.

All residents are reminded to lock their vehicles and remove the keys and any other valuables. Residents are also reminded to report suspicious people or vehicles to the Norwalk Police Department immediately at 203-854-3000.

Additional patrols have been added to area and our Detective Bureau is actively investigating these incidents.

In most cases, nothing was taken from the vehicles (all sport utility vehicles and cars). None of the vehicles were broken into or showed any signs of a break-in — all had been left unlocked or apparently unlocked. Vehicle doors, glove boxes or center consoles often were left open, with items strewn about inside.

In some cases, stolen items were found by the side of the road not very far away.

Police Chief Ray Osborne has said the problem of unlocked motor vehicles getting items stolen from them overnight is one widespread across the state, and former Police Chief Duane Lovello has said people shouldn’t worry that their windows will be broken if they don’t lock their cars — unlike, say, New York City, these thieves don’t want to draw attention to themselves in a suburban neighborhood at night, and they typically pass by locked cars.

Here’s a list of the burglaries, by street, as reported to Darien police:

Noroton, Monday to Tuesday, March 20 to 21

Walmsley Road:

— A woman, 34, reported a 2014 GMC Acadia was entered while it was parked in the driveway. She usually locks the vehicle, but apparently forgot at 4 p.m. At 8:50 a.m. the next day she discovered it had been entered. Nothing known to have been stolen.

— Police conducting a canvass of the neighborhood in response to the burglary just above, went next door, where a woman, 36, found a 2016 Mazda CX inside her garage had been entered sometime between 5 p.m. the day before and 10:30 a.m., when police came knocking. The overhead garage door had been closed, but a side door to the garage was unlocked.

— A few doors down on Walmsley a 44-year-old woman reported a black Chloe brand purse with gold buttons on the bottom was taken from a 2014 Audi Q7 which had been parked, possibly unlocked, in the driveway at about 3 p.m. the day before. Two credit cards in the purse were missing, but at the time of the police report there had been no attempts to use them and the woman cancelled them. Also missing was $70 in cash.

 

Cherry Street — a woman, 40, who lives on the street found two vehicles entered. Both had been parked at 7 p.m. in the driveway. At 6 a.m. the next day, she found they had been entered — a 2012 GMC Acadia and a 2005 BMW X5.

Fitch Avenue — A woman, 35, was missing a blue Kate Spade brand wallet valued at $125 and a Kindle Fire device, valued at $80 from her 2014 Toyota Highlander. The police report didn’t mention anything inside the wallet. The SUV had been parked in the driveway at 7 p.m. At 2 p.m. the next afternoon, the woman noticed vehicle doors ajar.

Near Mansfield Avenue, Friday to Saturday, March 24 to 25

Sunset Road — A 49-year-old Darien man told police his 2015 Chevrolet Suburban was parked in the driveway just before 8 p.m. on Friday and entered sometime before 8 a.m. the next day.

Knollwood Lane:

— A 36-year-old man said two vehicles — a 2015 Chevrolet Suburban and a 2015 Ford Edge — last seen at 8 p.m. had been entered by 8 a.m. the next day. From the Ford, a navy blue leather Foo tote bag was missing. It contained several religious books, including a Bible and other items. Paperwork from the car was also found by the man on the side of the road in front of the house. The bag was found by a woman walking her dog nearby at 5 a.m. and taken to Darien police, who turned it over to the victim.

— A Darien woman, 55 reported that two cars had been entered — a 1992 BMW 525 and a 2003 BMW X5. She found out about the entries when police came to her as they conducted a canvas of neighbors along the road in response to the incident just above. The vehicles were parked at about 9 p.m. and entered sometime before 11 a.m. the next day when police stopped by.

— A 44-year-old man told police his 2010 Chevrolet Suburban parked in the driveway had been entered sometime between 7 p.m., when it had been parked, and the next day (no time given).

Fox Hill Lane — A 51-year-old Darien man told police his 2016 Lexus RX and 2014 Lexus LX had each been entered sometime between about midnight, when they were parked there, and 9 a.m. the next day.

Peach Hill Road — A man, 40, told police his 2013 GMC Yukon, parked at 9 p.m. in the drivway, had been entered sometime between then an 7 a.m. the next morning. The center console and glove compartment had been opened, and miscellaneous gift cards and sunglasses, altogether worth $200, were taken. Both cards and sunglasses were found on the road in front of his house.

Buttonwood Lane — A package was taken from the front of a house sometime between 3:14 p.m., when the delivery company recorded that the package had been delivered, and 11 a.m. the next day, when police conducting a canvas of neighbors saw the package by the side of the road in front of 1 Peach Hill Road. Police found the delivery address on the package and visited the victim. A $200 white stormtrooper helmet had been in the package, but was gone.

See also:

• Sunglasses, iPhone Stolen from Unlocked Car on Sedgewick Ave (March 16)
• Only One Unlocked Car Entered Overnight in Darien As of March 1 — But an Above-Average Haul (March 9)
• Car Stolen on Rocaton Road Last Week Found Monday in Bridgeport (March 1)
• Burglar Gets Through Open Garage Window, Confronted by Resident (March 1)
• Overnight Thefts Continue from Unlocked Darien Vehicles, Two Teens Arrested (Feb. 27)
• After 20 Vehicles Entered, Several Thefts, 2 Cars Stolen in Two Weeks, Police Arrest 2 Teens (Feb. 24 )
• Nine Vehicles Entered, Some Missing Items & One Stolen in Southwestern Corner of Darien (Feb. 22)
• Unlocked in Darien: Police Ask Residents to Lock Cars, Prevent Thefts (Feb. 16)
• Police: One Teen Caught After Car Stolen in Stamford Crashes in Darien (Feb. 16)
• Car Stolen in Noroton Bay Neighborhood, Two Others Entered (Feb. 14)