Unlocked in Darien 2021

Name: Summer Picnic Series | End of Summer Family-Friendly Celebration at Grace Farms
Start: 2022-08-19T17:30:00-04:00
End: 2022-08-19T19:30:00-04:00
Location: Grace Farms

Darien Motor Vehicle Burglaries 2021

Police Report Nine Unlocked Vehicle’s Entered Overnight, Some Items Taken

By David Gurliacci | February 3, 2022

Darien police reported nine vehicles parked outside eight homes in town were recently entered overnight, most of them from Tuesday to Wednesday, Jan. 19 to 20. Various items were taken from several of them. As usual, all of them were unlocked. Reported stolen were a “portable electronic device” valued at $100, a pair of prescription sunglasses, another pair of sunglasses, $80 in cash, a phone charger.

Public Safety

Unlocked Vehicles Entered Overnight, Jan 10 to 11 on Five Mile River Road

By David Gurliacci | January 19, 2022

A jacket was the only item reported stolen overnight Jan. 10 to 11 from unlocked vehicles parked outside three homes on Five Mile River Road, according to police. Darien police received three reports on Tuesday, Jan. 11 about vehicles entered overnight on the Tokeneke street. One resident told police that at 12 midnight he saw the inside lights on in his 2021 Ford, 2016 Range Rover and 2021 Dodge.

Darien Motor Vehicle Burglaries 2021

Briefcase and iPhone Stolen Christmas Eve From Unlocked Car

By David Gurliacci | December 29, 2021

A thief stole a man’s iPhone and briefcase on Christmas Eve from a 2016 Subaru parked outside a home on Camp Avenue, Darien police were told. It took place fast: The victim said it happened sometime from about 6:38 to 6:42 p.m. That’s only six minutes. Police were called at 7:14 p.m.

The victim said he noticed that the dome light was on in his car, which he had left unlocked. He went out to check the car and saw that the items had been stolen. SEE ALSO:

Thieves Gift Themselves With Two Darien SUVs on Christmas Night (Dec.

Darien Motor Vehicle Burglaries 2021

Police Darien Police Lock Your Car Every Time

Thieves Gift Themselves With Two Darien SUVs on Christmas Night

By David Gurliacci | December 28, 2021

Two owners of sport utility vehicles each told police that their SUVs had been stolen on the night after Santa came to town. In each case, the victim said the cars were unlocked and keys were left inside. The thieves came overnight from Dec. 25 to 26, between Christmas Day and Sunday morning. Driftway Lane
A purse was also in one of the SUVs, at Driftway Lane, and the owner was notified by a bank at 2:12 a.m. that a purchase had been made in Waterbury from a bank card that had been in the purse.

Unlocked in Darien 2021

Latest Slew of Unlocked Vehicles Entered, Some Pricey Loot Lifted

By David Gurliacci | December 23, 2021

The bizarre suburban tradition of leaving cars, SUVs and other vehicles unlocked, outside in driveways overnight resulted in some thefts of pricey items last week, although most victims told police nothing was taken. Vehicles were entered on Hillcrest Avenue (at three addresses); Clock Avenue (one); Harbor Road (three); and Driftway Lane (one). Here’s the latest rundown, all but the last one from the night of Sunday to Monday, Dec. 12 to 13. That last one, which took place the next night, is a doozy:

(Editor’s note: Darienite.com has given up on listing the exact addresses of people who’ve left their cars unlocked overnight.

Unlocked in Darien 2021

A Visit From Thieves, Whose Patron Saint is St Nicholas

By David Gurliacci | December 15, 2021

In the weeks before Christmas, all through some nights,
Creatures are stirring, in hopes that they might,
Find a car door unlocked, and inside find keys! And then they drive off in their booty with ease. (The stockings are hung by the chimney with care,
But cars? Unlocked — as if thieves wouldn’t dare.)
As children are nestled all snug in their beds,
Handles are pulled, doors opened, and then —
SUVs, pickups and sedans are driven
On out of town, fast as Donder and Blitzen! A hard night’s day, would be 11 December:
On Kona Road, a Land Rover was stolen,
In typical fashion — unlocked and keys in.

Public Safety

More Unlocked Vehicles Entered Around Town Last Friday/Saturday Night, Nov 19 to 20

By David Gurliacci | November 24, 2021

Some thieves who go into unlocked cars aren’t afraid to branch out and enter a garage when a garage door opener is found in the vehicle, as happened overnight from Friday to Saturday on Holly Lane. The incident was one of four reported the same day, after in the latest spate of overnight entries into unlocked vehicles in Darien. Here’s how police described each incident, all of which took place on nearby streets:
Holly Lane
A woman told police that when her husband went outside at about 7:30 a.m., he found the garage door fully open, although she had closed that door the evening before. A Huffy brand bicycle was in the garage, but it didn’t belong to anybody at the home. And the couple’s son’s bicycle was missing.

Darien Motor Vehicle Burglaries 2021

Police: Two SUVs Stolen Last Weekend — One Overnight, the Other During a Delivery Pickup

By David Gurliacci | July 27, 2021

A 2015 Honda Pilot was stolen when it was left running on the side of the road while the driver was working as a delivery driver for a local business at the corner of Mansfield and the Post Road, police were told. Police didn’t give the name of the business — but Post Corner Pizza is at that location. The theft was reported to police at 6:47 p.m., Saturday. In a separate incident, sometime overnight Friday to Saturday a 2015 Cadillac Escalade was stolen from outside a home on the Post Road between Purdy Lane and Hillside Avenue. The keys were left inside the vehicle, which was unlocked, said the owner, who called police at 7:25 a.m., Saturday.

State Lawmakers Explore What Can Be Done About Youths Stealing Cars Across the State

By David Gurliacci | July 8, 2021

State legislators from both parties recently started more active discussions on what can be done about youths stealing cars across the state, a problem that’s festered for years. In a related development, state Rep. Terrie Wood told constituents Thursday afternoon that she’s joined other lawmakers in petitioning for a special session of the state Legislature to address the problem. The recent death of a runner in New Britain, reportedly struck by a stolen car driven by a 17-year-old with a long criminal history, prompted a GOP news conference on the problem Wednesday morning, and then the meeting of lawmakers from both sides of the aisle that afternoon, according to a report Thursday on the CT News Junkie website. The report also said: “A bipartisan group of lawmakers emerged from a closed-door meeting at the state Capitol Wednesday with plans to pursue policies aimed at reducing youth crime including giving judges more information on the criminal records of repeat offenders.” The Democratic and Republican lawmakers said they “identified some limited common ground,” as the article described it.

Darien Motor Vehicle Burglaries 2021

Three Stolen Vehicles in One Night — Each Found: in Mass., North Haven, Down the Street

By David Gurliacci | July 8, 2021

In the course of one night, police said, three unlocked vehicles, each with keys inside, were stolen from outside Darien homes. Within minutes or days, each was found: One just down the street on Long Neck Point Road; another in Longmeadow, Massachusetts (93 miles from Darien, along Interstate 95 on the Massachusetts/Connecticut border); and the third in North Haven. On the same night and the next morning — Monday to Tuesday, June 28 to 29 — owners of two other unlocked vehicles told police that the vehicles had been entered, but nothing was stolen from them. SEE ALSO: State Lawmakers Explore What Can Be Done About Youths Stealing Cars Across the State (Thursday, July 8)

Darien police gave these accounts of the three vehicle thefts and the two other entries:
Vehicles Entered
At 9:32 a.m., a resident of 23 Dubois St. told police that his or her unlocked 2015 Lexus RX was entered sometime overnight.

Darien Motor Vehicle Burglaries 2021

On Different Nights: Unlocked Corvette, Mercedes Each Stolen, Theft From Unlocked SUV, Police Say

By David Gurliacci | July 7, 2021

Darien police say that on one recent night, a Corvette with the keys inside was stolen outside one home in town. On another night, a Mercedes Benz was stolen the same way. Early on another morning, someone stole a wallet and other items from an SUV. All three vehicles were left unlocked, outside. Police, who did not say that any of the thefts were related, gave these accounts of each theft (in chronological order):
The Vette
At about 6:40 a.m., Wednesday, June 23, the owner of a 2015 Chevrolet Corvette was awoken by the sound of the car starting.

Darien Motor Vehicle Burglaries 2021

After a Stolen Darien SUV Found in Waterbury, Police Find Purse Inside, Stolen From Another Darien Vehicle

By David Gurliacci | June 16, 2021

Overnight Friday to Saturday, a 2020 Volvo XC60 was stolen after it was left unlocked outside a home on Horseshoe Road. Within a day, the SUV was found in Waterbury. Inside the vehicle, Darien police detectives found items stolen the same night from another unlocked vehicle outside a Brookside Road house. When police went to the Brookside Road victim’s home to tell her what they’d found, she told them she hadn’t realized her purse had been stolen. It held various bank cards, identification and keys.

Darien Motor Vehicles Entered 2021

Security Camera, Dog Spot Nighttime Prowlers Near Cars Outdoors on Lynn Court

By David Gurliacci | June 7, 2021

Two nighttime prowlers were all dressed up in black but apparently with no place to rob when two residents of Lynn Court each were woken up by their security devices — a security camera and a dog. Police gave these accounts:

Just before 1:10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 25, a man was woken up by his growling dog. The man looked outside, where he saw two people in his driveway who seemed to be looking into one of his vehicles. He went to the front door and called out to them. In response, the two ran off.

Darien Motor Vehicles Entered 2021

Man, 20, Charged With Stealing Jeep From Darien, Keeping Facsimile Gun in It

By David Gurliacci | June 3, 2021

Trace evidence left in a Jeep Wrangler stolen in Darien in November 2019 led to the recent arrest of a man, who was also charged in connection to a facsimile of a firearm that was found in the vehicle which crashed after a Bridgeport police chase. Police didn’t say what the trace evidence was. Darien police gave this account of what happened, including accusations not proven in court:

The 2010 Jeep had been unlocked, with the keys inside, in the driveway at 27 Patricia Lane. It was no longer there by 8:04 a.m. on Nov. 9, 2019, when the owner reported it missing.

Darien Motor Vehicle Burglaries 2021

Latest Unlocked Vehicle Entries: A Key Stolen from One Results in Theft of Another Car

By David Gurliacci | May 4, 2021

Just one thing was reported stolen over one night recently when four unlocked cars were entered while parked outside at Avalon Darien — a car key. That led to a fifth car at the same housing complex being stolen the same night. Darien police said the vehicles were entered sometime overnight Monday to Tuesday, April 26 to 27. Vehicles entered were a 2019 Lexus, 2013 Jeep and a 2013 Mercedes. A 2010 Honda was where the thief got the car key.

Events Calendar

Fri 19

Summer Picnic Series | End of Summer Family-Friendly Celebration at Grace Farms

August 19 @ 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm