Thieves checking for unlocked vehicles earlier this month on Silver Hill Road in Derby.
DERBY — The city’s police department conducted 35 car-theft investigations from March through August of this year — a 250 percent increase from the same time period in 2019.
Larceny investigations are also way up. The department had 87 cases between March and August of last year. This year, they had 200 cases. That’s a 130 percent increase.
There have also been more burglary investigations between March and August 2019 compared to March through August 2020: 14 investigations last year to 20 this year, not nearly as dramatic as the other increases.
The increase in property crime investigations dovetails with what residents have been posting on Facebook, where community groups have numerous reports from Derby residents reporting car thefts, items stolen from cars, along with random people trying to get into parked vehicles.
On Sept. 20 a resident in the ‘Derby CT Community Forum’ Facebook group posted surveillance video showing what appeared to be a man trying to open the door to a vehicle. The incident was on E. Ninth Street, according to the post.
On Sept. 15 a resident posted that an expensive mountain bike was stolen from the Silver Hill/Derby Neck area.
On Sept. 14 a resident posted that a group of young people attempted to get into vehicles at 4 a.m. on Silver Hill Road. Another resident from Silver Hill Road created a post saying his son’s Army uniform was stolen from a vehicle on Silver Hill Road.
A resident posted a photo Sept. 13 showing a damaged SUV. The vehicle was stolen and crashed on Fifth Street, according to the post.
On Sept. 11 a resident posted a video in the forum showing a random person running through a yard at 7 a.m.. It happened in the Harold Avenue/Ida Avenue area, according to the post.
The increase in property crimes are happening during a complicated time in U.S. history, to say the least.
First, there is the COVID-19 global pandemic. While the transmission rates in Connecticut and the lower Naugatuck Valley are better than other parts of the U.S., the Valley has not been spared the economic impact of the novel coronavirus, including unemployment.
Second, the U.S. is going through a widespread period of civil unrest following the killing of George Floyd allegedly at the hands of Minnesota police in May. In the weeks following Floyd’s death, a number of peaceful protests calling for an end to systemic racism were held locally, often with the assistance of police.
In addition, both issues have also become embroiled in toxic and partisan election-year politics, as the country is bitterly divided over national leadership.
Derby Police Chief Gerald Narowski acknowledged the uptick in property crimes during a Sept. 14 meeting of the Derby Police Commission.
He indicated that criminals have become fearless.
“You’re seeing an increase in property crimes. There is a general trend of lawlessness (happening across the country),” Narowski said.
The chief said juveniles are suspected to be committing many of the property crimes that are under investigation.
“We’re having a lot of juvenile crimes. A lot of stolen cars. A lot of thefts from autos,” Narowski said. “We still have a lot of people that are leaving their cars unlocked. We keep putting that message out there, but I think we’ve beaten a dead horse with that one.”
Narowski said young criminal suspects are not worried about getting caught.
“There is less and less fear of police interference or prosecution,” the chief said. “That’s the trend you are seeing in crime.”
The property crimes were happening prior to a recent rash in gunplay in Derby. As of last week, police were investigating four reports of shots fired in Derby: Sept. 1, Sept. 13, Sept. 15, and Sept. 17. Click here for the most recent Valley Indy story on the incidents.
Anyone with information should talk to police at 203 – 735-7811.
In July, Derby police announced the arrest of five juveniles in connection to a string of thefts from vehicles.
Derby Mayor Rich Dziekan said Connecticut needs to toughen the laws on the books when it comes to juvenile crime. Some of the young people caught committing crimes in the Valley — particularly the car thefts and burglaries — have extensive criminal histories, yet they don’t seem to be punished, the mayor said.
Dziekan also urged parents to know where their kids are at night.
The mayor noted that the victim in the Sept. 1 shooting in Derby was a 17-year-old teenager (he received minor wounds) inexplicably out on Chatfield Street at 1 a.m.
“That’s part of the problem,” said Dziekan, a retired Hamden police officer. “Nothing good happens after 10 o’clock at night.”
Here is a look at burglaries, larcenies and vehicle thefts in Derby. The data comes from information submitted to the Derby Police Commission from the Derby Police Department.
The Valley Indy looked at two, six-month time periods for comparison:
1. March through August of 2019
and
2. March through August of 2020.
Burglary investigations increased from 14 investigations (and one arrest) in 2019 to 20 investigations (two arrests) in 2020, a 43 percent increase in investigations
CAR THEFT STATS
2019 Car Theft Investigations and Arrests
March 2019
Two car theft investigations
Zero arrests
April 2019
Two car theft investigations
Zero arrests
May 2019
One car theft investigation
Zero arrests
June 2019
One car theft investigation
Zero arrests
July 2019
Two car thefts
Zero arrests
Aug 2019
Two car thefts
Zero arrests
SIX-MONTH 2019 TOTAL
10 car theft investigations
No arrests
2020 Car Theft Investigations And Arrests
March 2020
Three investigations
Zero arrests
April 2020
Four investigations
Zero arrests
May 2020
Six investigations
Zero arrests
June 2020
Seven investigations
Zero arrests
July 2020
12 investigations
Two arrests
Aug. 2020
Three car thefts
Three arrests
SIX MONTH 2020 TOTAL car theft investigations
35 investigations
Five arrests
LARCENY STATISTICS
2019 Larceny Investigations And Arrests
March 2019
18 investigations
One arrest
April 2019
Nine investigations
One arrest
May 2019
Seven investigations
Zero arrests
June 2019
17 investigations
Zero arrests
July 2019
23 investigations
Two arrests
Aug. 2019
13 investigations
Zero arrests
SIX-MONTH 2019 TOTAL
Larceny investigations
87 investigations
Four arrests
2020 Larceny And Arrests
March 2020
12 investigations
Zero arrests
April 2020
14 investigations
Zero arrests
May 2020
20 investigations
Three arrests
June 2020
25 investigations
Three arrests
July 2020
20 investigations
Three arrests
August 2020
29 investigations
Four arrests
SIX-MONTH 2020 TOTAL
200 larceny investigations
13 arrests
