An image Derby police posted on Facebook Thursday.
DERBY — Police are once again urging people to not leave valuables in their vehicles and to make sure the doors are locked after another rash of car burglaries.
“Within the past week there have been multiple reports of overnight stolen vehicles and car break-ins on the east side of town / hilltop area,” the police department posted Thursday on Facebook. “Specifically, Harold Avenue, Commodore Hull Drive, Kings Court, Belleview Drive, Ida Avenue, Derbyshire, and Selma Avenue.”
In each case, the “crimes involved unlocked cars and/or keys left in the vehicle,” police said.
“We have increased our patrol efforts but PLEASE LOCK YOUR CAR and TAKE YOUR KEYS. The evidence is clear that your odds of becoming a victim decrease exponentially by just doing those simple tasks,” Derby police said in the post.
Similar incidents have been reported in Ansonia and Seymour, where Police Chief Paul Satkowski recently announced his department has set up a car burglary task force with state police.
The patrols are out in Seymour looking to prevent and catch car burglars.
Seymour made the news last month when a resident posted crystal clear video of two young people rummaging through his vehicle.
Here’s a story on the Seymour incident from Fox 61:
Chief Satkowski noted police arrested an out-of-town juvenile in connection to that brazen theft.
“We are planning to do more in the future to combat the burglarizing and theft of vehicles,” the chief said in an email to The Valley Indy.
The Associated Press reported in May that car break-ins and larcenies from vehicles have been increasing. This story cites a “63 percent in New York and nearly 17 percent in Los Angeles from Jan. 1 through mid-May, compared with the same period last year.”
Locally, community Facebook groups routinely post “Ring”-type home surveillance video showing people trying to get into parked cars. Inevitably each post is followed up by someone remarking that a vehicle was recently stolen as well.
“If you see anyone or any vehicle in the area that looks suspicious or unfamiliar please notify us immediately,” the Facebook post from Derby police concluded. “The same goes for suspicious or unidentified persons depicted on door bell or surveillance cameras. We will promptly respond, review and investigate all information received.”
