In the wake of an “alarming trend” in stolen vehicles — and attempted thefts — the Westport Police Department strongly urges “situational awareness” by residents and visitors.
Police say:
As has been the case for the last several years, Westport continues to be a persistent target for car thieves.
A trend that began as incidents relegated mostly to perpetrators systematically walking neighborhoods in the overnight hours, where individuals were looking to avoid confrontation and detection by their victims, has evolved into offenders seeking to acquire vehicles through more aggressive and brazen means.
Tactics and timing now include activity at all hours of day and night, and locations both public and private.
These tactics seem to also frequently include the targeting and direct following of specific vehicles and victims.
In multiple recent investigations, victims report encountering suspects in their driveways and inside residential garages at various times of day, immediately or shortly after returning home. In many cases, it is apparent that victims and their vehicles were specifically targeted.
In these instances, victims were very likely followed to their homes after tasks like grocery shopping, or followed to public places like service stations where it is anticipated that the car would be left unoccupied and unattended long for an opportunity to commit the theft.
In a recent incident, a would-be perpetrator entered what he believed was an unoccupied vehicle left in a public parking lot, only to encounter a teenager in the back seat. Fortunately, in this instance, the alarm created by this situation caused the perpetrator to flee.
Vehicle theft continues to be extremely prevalent in Westport and surrounding communities. The common thread is an unlocked or running vehicle with the keys inside, or left within reaching distance of the car.
The Westport Police Department treats these incidents seriously, and has multiple active investigations into suspected perpetrators. Although we continue to use all available means to hold the parties accountable, suspects have also employed various countermeasures to prevent identification and apprehension.
The culprit.
We strongly urge residents and visitors to be mindful of this escalating crime trend. Simple tactics like locking parked vehicles, removing keys and fobs from the passenger compartment when a vehicle is to be left unattended, and locking garages all continue to be strong deterrents.
Situational awareness is now becoming equally critical as well.
It is not difficult to envision the ways that direct encounters with suspects could lead to negative outcomes, so we urge all to be mindful of their surroundings, and maintain a heightened state of vigilance.
If you observe suspicious activity or feel that you are being followed, call 911 and/or drive to the nearest police station immediately.
When returning home, if possible park your vehicle in an enclosed garage and secure the door behind you. If not an option, please do not leave your vehicle doors open, unlocked and accessible for even brief periods of time.
In recent cases, a matter of seconds is all that has been needed to execute these thefts.
Get a concealed carry permit ‼️
Works every time 👍🇺🇸
If you are sitting in the back seat of your car guarding it I suppose. Otherwise, apparently not so much. /smh
Tom I wish I could agree but if you a moment ask a Wesport cop, state trooper or one of our idiot Senators what would happen to you if you guard your property, or your family for that matter, with brute force. Ask each of them what needs to happen — step by step — to justify your use of a firearm, INCLUDING when being hunted inside of your own home by someone else with a gun. This isn’t Florida my friend. I’ll give you a sneak preview, jumping to the final step: you need to lock yourself in a room , and with 911 on the phone, announce to the perpetrator that you have a gun yourself and will use it if necessary.
Rob you’re right about Connecticut Sad
Here in Florida we can blast away and run over street blockers It seems to work 🤣🇺🇸
You must have loved today’s ICE shooting in Minneapolis, Tom.
Watch the video. Would you try to evade/escape any law enforcement while you’re behind the wheel of a vehicle?
I watched the video. What did you see that merited someone being shot to death? Let’s all watch it.
https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/07/us/video/ice-shooting-minneapolis-digvid
Idiot
from The New York Times:
After a federal immigration agent fatally shot a woman in her vehicle in Minneapolis, homeland security officials described the driver as a violent rioter who had “weaponized her vehicle, attempting to run over our law enforcement officers in an attempt to kill them.”
That explanation — which state and local officials have disputed — is not an unusual one from authorities after such incidents. It’s a claim that often has been used as justification for fatal police shootings of otherwise unarmed motorists, a 2021 New York Times investigation found. Often, the motorist was simply trying to get away, trying to edge around officers rather than mow them down.
A video of the moments before and after the Minneapolis shooting, which took place on Wednesday, shows the driver’s vehicle, a maroon Honda Pilot, stopped in the roadway, perpendicular to the flow of traffic. Then a truck with flashing lights pulls up to it and two ICE agents exit.
“Get out of the car,” one agent says in the video, using an expletive as he approaches the vehicle and tries to open the driver’s side door.
As the agent tries to open the door, the vehicle backs up a little and then moves forward, turning to the right and into the flow of traffic as if to leave the scene — but also moving in the direction of another agent standing in the street near the front of the vehicle.
That agent pulls his gun and fires three times at the driver. The car continues forward for a short distance before crashing into a parked vehicle. The driver, a 37-year-old woman, had been fatally shot.
Geoffrey Alpert, an expert on police use of force at the University of South Carolina, reviewed a video that captured the shooting at the request of The New York Times. “The way you evaluate this is you look to see what’s the imminent threat to life, and there is none,” he said. “She’s leaving.”
“Look at the wheels on the car, they are turning to the right, and all he has to do is step out of the way,” he said, referring to the federal agent. “She’s jacking the wheels all the way to the right.”
“This is what we call officer-created jeopardy,” Mr. Alpert added, noting that the first agent to approach the car had escalated the situation, whereas local police officers are generally trained to de-escalate tense confrontations.
Jeremy Bauer, a forensics expert in Seattle who has testified in police shooting cases, also reviewed the video. He noted that the officer who fired his gun is obscured at certain points, making it hard to tell whether the car had ever made contact with him. The officer is positioned in front of the car before it starts to turn, he said. And the street was slippery with ice, giving the officer less control of his footing.
That the officer fired more than once was also significant, Dr. Bauer said. “If you’re able to keep aiming at something that is moving by you, then you have some innate knowledge that it’s moving by you and not running over you,” he said.
The Justice Department has long warned that officers should not fire at moving cars and has encouraged departments to forbid it. The department’s own use-of-force policy says that agents may not fire at a moving car that is threatening them unless “no other objectively reasonable means of defense appear to exist, which includes moving out of the path of the vehicle.”
A Department of Homeland Security use-of-force policy dated 2018, during the first Trump administration, says officers “are prohibited from discharging firearms at the operator of a moving vehicle, vessel, aircraft or other conveyance unless the use of deadly force against the operator is justified.”
The country’s 25 largest cities, including New York and Los Angeles, have barred police officers from shooting at moving cars — New York forbade it more than 50 years ago. Some policies make exceptions for terrorists plowing into crowds, or when officers are being fired upon by the vehicle’s occupants.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01/07/us/minnesota-shooting-ice#motorist-shootings-vehicle-weapon
Let’s think about this for a very brief minute. If we look at this virtual avalanche of car thefts in Westport how many of those thefts were actually witnessed by the car owner? Probably very, very few, if any. So even if the car owner was also a gun owner and was “packing heat” that day what good would all his or her firepower have done? You can’t gun down a car thief if you don’t actually see him doing the deed, now can you? So let’s all holster those .44s, take a deep breath and just mosey along on outta here. Guns ain’t the answer, pardner.
Ya just need to blast a few thieves and the word gets out to avoid pistol packin Westport. Worth a shot 😜PUN 🇺🇸
Dan I’m pretty confused. What do you — or anybody else — expect when we are told in no uncertain terms that:
A) the cops won’t even pursue the criminals over a certain speed limit, a fact which the criminals know full well which leads them to beeline directly to I-95
B) We are told explicitly that we are not able to defend our property, and if we decide to inflict physical harm on those attempting to harm us or our loved ones, or steal our hard earned property, that WE could be the ones to end up in an orange jumpsuit?
What the hell else would anybody expect? These crimes to cease? Or continue to increase somewhat exponentially? Where is the incentive for these criminals to stop the criminal behavior?
The dangers of police pursuits are well documented.
A good overview is here:
“We recommend that pursuits should take place only when two very specific standards are met:
(1) A violent crime has been committed and
(2) the suspect poses an imminent threat to commit
another violent crime.
If those two conditions are not met, agencies need to look for alternatives to accomplish the same objective. You can get a suspect another day, but you can’t get a life back. We
believe policy, training, and supervision should all support the core value of policing: the sanctity of human life.”
Police Executive Research Forum. 2023. “Vehicular Pursuits: A Guide for Law Enforcement Executives on Managing the
Associated Risks.” Washington, DC: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, U.S. Department of Justice.
https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov/resourcecenter/content.ashx/cops-r1134-pub.pdf
Here in Idaho we have open carry and we have zero car thefts.
A quick Google search for “car thefts Idaho” brings up:
Car thefts in Idaho saw a decrease in 2024 compared to 2023, with a 14% drop statewide, though local reports show mixed trends, with some areas like Kuna experiencing upticks while Coeur d’Alene saw declines.
Kia and Hyundai models remain highly targeted due to a known vulnerability, and police emphasize locking doors and securing vehicles to combat rising thefts, especially in areas like Boise where unlocked cars are frequently targeted, notes.
Local Variations: While some cities like Coeur d’Alene reported fewer thefts, Boise and Kuna saw police warnings about increased incidents, particularly in late 2025.
Targeted Models: Kia and Hyundai models (2011-2022) are frequently targeted due to a theft-prone ignition design, though pickup trucks are also common targets.
Why It’s Happening
Unlocked Cars: A significant factor in Boise and other areas is drivers leaving vehicles unlocked, making them easy targets for opportunistic thieves.
There are always those local police alerts about clusters of thefts in places like Boise or Kuna, usually because folks leave their cars unlocked or keys inside. Fair point on staying vigilant. But the big-picture data tells a totally different story: car thefts in Idaho are dropping significantly, not rising.
The NICB reported Idaho had just 1,344 vehicle thefts in 2024 -that’s a solid 14% drop from 2023, putting us near the bottom nationally for theft rates (like 51st out of 51, including DC). The Idaho State Police’s own Crime in Idaho report backs it up with about a 12.75% decline in motor vehicle thefts that year. And nationally? Thefts plunged 17% in 2024, then another 23% in the first half of 2025 alone. Preliminary numbers suggest Idaho’s continuing that downward trend into 2025.
As for Russell Gontar’s “Wrong again” gotcha with that exact same NICB-linked article quoting the 1,344 number… dude, that’s literally the proof of the decline. The article announces Idaho saw a 14% drop to that figure. You’re swinging and missing hard, probably just hunting for internet points without reading past the headline. Classic.
Yeah, Kia/Hyundai issues lingered from older models, but manufacturer fixes have crushed those thefts nationally, and pickups are the bigger target here anyway. Most incidents are still opportunistic; unlocked doors, valuables visible—so lock up and hide your stuff. Basic stuff works, guns are last resort.
Bottom line: Idaho’s one of the safest states for this, and things are getting better, not worse. No panic needed, just smart habits.
Dude. No gotcha, it was your assertion that “we have zero car thefts”. 1,344 is more than zero last time I checked.
You’re really going for the gold in the Literal Olympics here. When I said “Here in Idaho we have open carry and we have zero car thefts,” it’s called hyperbole – you know, exaggeration for effect? Like when people say “nobody locks their doors here” or “crime doesn’t exist in small towns.” It’s a tongue-in-cheek way of saying car theft is extremely rare in Idaho compared to blue cities where guns are banned and thefts are through the roof.
But sure, let’s play your game: 1,344 thefts in a state of nearly 2 million people works out to about 68 thefts per 100,000 – dead last in the nation (51st out of 51 including DC). That’s basically statistical zero when you’re comparing to places like California (over 600 per 100,000) or Massachusetts, clocked in at 104.9 per 100,000 (about 7,415 thefts) – over 50% higher rate than Idaho. Guess that’s what happens in states with strict gun laws and soft-on-crime policies?
So yeah… “zero” in the real-world sense. Not in the autistic pedant sense.
Your own link proved the point twice: thefts dropped 14% to that tiny number. But keep swinging at shadows if it makes you feel smart, champ. I’ll be over here enjoying one of the safest states in America.
Let’s be clear.
Florida ranks #31 in the nation in per capita violent crime.
Idaho ranks #37 in the nation in per capita violent crime.
Connecticut ranks #48 in the nation in per capita violent crime.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_violent_crime_rate
Wrong again. Your own private ldaho had 1,344 vehicle thefts in 2024. https://www.nwinsurance.org/asset/67eedf724dcf2
“Wrong again” you literally linked an article titled “Idaho sees a 14 percent drop in vehicle thefts in 2024” and then tried to dunk with the exact number (1,344) that proves the decline. 😂
Did you even skim past the headline? That NICB data shows Idaho’s thefts dropped 14% from 2023, putting us dead last nationally (51st out of 51, including DC) for theft rate – one of the safest states in the country. Nationwide thefts crashed 17% in 2024 and another 23% in the first half of 2025.
Swing and a miss, champ. Next time, actually read your own “gotcha” link before declaring victory, champ.
I’m retired military and reside in rural Texas on my ranch. We don’t see vehicle thefts like Dan’s describing (obviously cities like DFW, Houston, San Antonio, & Austin are a bit different) around our county. In my neighborhood everyone is well armed, has large dogs and it’s very dark. For would be felons it seems the risk vs. reward for stealing out here isn’t worth it to them. Mr. Gutman raises some valid points above for Westport residents which have no easy answers. Stay safe folks.
Thank you for your service Tom. People still don’t understand — nor will they ever — that criminals aren’t stealing — or worse — from people they know are likely themselves to be armed. It’s pretty elementary.
I’ve spoken with a number of law enforcement folks about this and pretty much know my rights, or lack thereof.
You’re welcome Rob, and thank you for your support. Defending against property crime is normally not justification for the use of deadly force, even in Texas, unless you or your family’s life is endangered; you just can’t shoot anyone stealing stuff.
Absolutely, my first comment alluded to that. I wasn’t advocating shooting someone simply because they break into your house, hopefully it didn’t appear that way.
Quick question, Tom. Would you shoot a man dead if you saw him stealing your car? Second question: what’s the punishment in Texas for car theft?
Not sure I’d trust someone who can’t reliably lock their car to safely and consistently secure a firearm in public or at home. Seems like there are some pretty obvious first steps to take before we jump to “everyone gets a gun” as the answer. I appreciate the practical solutions from the Westport Police Department and also acknowledge the complex dynamics that lead to this scary and unfortunate trend.
Never leave home without your banana. Google Byrna.com
The Police have been abundantly clear that the vast majority of thefts occur when people leave their keys/fobs in the cars and/or the engines running.
When I asked an officer if it was 90%, the reply I got was “more like 95%”
Westport is targeted because we clearly have people who leave their keys in relatively expensive cars. Stop doing that and the thieves will go elsewhere (though they’ll probably stop at Ulta on the way out of Town).
Westport sure has changed. When I was at Staples we would go duck hunting on Compo Beach at dawn and take our guns to class (safely secured in our lockers for the day). You would also note that about 1 in three of the street signs on Sasco Creek Rd had been “peppered” with shotgun pellets. That was how we let off steam if we finished the morning empty handed. I also remember shooting woodchucks with my scope mounted Remington .22 at Nyala Farm.
So basically, whether you live in a red or blue state just don’t leave your car unattended and unlocked and take your keys with you. It doesn’t say what cars are being targeted here other than those that are being left unlocked so it’s easier for criminals to try to steal.
So be aware of your environment and lock your car when in public and put it inside a locked garage if you aren’t going to lock the car and take your keys with you away from the car. This will make it more difficult and will dissuade criminals from trying to steal your car. It’s basic common sense. It’s not about guns. It’s about common sense.
I hear so much about locking will prevent theft yet I have seen a ton of smashed windows… am I alone that a repeated warning is not going to solve this but upping the strategy on catching these perps may?
Locking your car won’t stop a determined thief who wants exactly your car, but it works like a burglar alarm sign on your mailbox or a deer fence. Burglars can cut alarms and deer can jump fences, but the former are more likely to rob a house without an alarm and the latter more likely to eat unfenced rhododendrons. Why make yourself an easy target?
Hey Dan, THANK you for bringing awareness to this issue for the Westport community! I personally appreciate it as you will see here.
The comments took an abrupt, shall I say, trigger-shot, turn on the issue! So to bring it back to your PSA:
Yesterday at 3:30pm I pulled into my garage after shopping at Trader Joes and Organic Market, got out of my car, and propped my house door open to make carrying groceries in easier. As I turned back to my car barely seconds later, I encountered a masked person, in a black hoodie, black jeans, entering my garage!! I am fortunate they did not want a confrontation and instead turned and ran away. I did not reach for a weapon (as I do not own a firearm, just a mean judo-kick) – I reached for my phone and called the police who came quickly and explained that often car thieves will follow cars from grocery lots knowing that owners will leave the car open (and garage open) to unload and it’s an opportune time to steal a car as often the key fob is still in or near the car (in a purse on the front seat, or in the console) and can do it quickly, without confrontation. So, in this instance, I am not someone who, as Liza Van Gundy suggested, can’t reliably lock my car doors, but I am also not, as Tom Feeley from Florida suggested, a person who believes a concealed weapon would be the solution in this type of situation. I have also not obsessively locked my car, in my garage, while bringing bags of groceries in and out, but perhaps I will now! No, I won’t. That would be ultimate madness. It’s stressful enough living here with these crazy Westport drivers. I digress…
Just be ultra aware of your surroundings during these times. I am grateful for the Westport Police for having incredible intel on the perps within minutes, and for this encounter to have resolved as it did. I urge people to understand the dire circumstances that cause young adults to hustle like this to make ends meet. Often forced into these crimes as they haven’t had access to opportunities, or positive mentors, caregivers or models to show them there is another way to thrive. Shepherds in Bridgeport is an incredible organization offering mentorships to disconnected young adults who are motivated to succeed. I worked for Year Up for 20 years (now Year Up United) helping disconnected urban young adults go from poverty to professional careers – going from hustling to tax-paying in a one year program. Reach out and be part of that solution. Don’t perpetuate a bigger problem by aiming assumptions or weapons at our countries most vulnerable young adults. Yes, I want to feel safe here in Westport, but I also realize that in these times, things are really really rough out there – outside of our bubble (and also within). And Idaho and Texas – I live on a dark street with lots of dogs who bark. They bark around the clock. And we have a security alarm tag on our mailbox at the end of our driveway. And cameras on all sides of the house! And a Ring camera.
And yet…I also live 1 hr from NYC next to 2 highways, so with or without arms, we are prime targets. I envy your remote locals (and if only I could have grown up in 70’s Westport – epic. It’s jammed now!) I’d rather lose a car than lose my humanity by inanely taking the life of another human. Perspective is everything and we’ve seem to have lost it.
Thanks again, Dan, for keeping us informed and in conversation with one another.
Dan, Thanks for the public service announcement. Good to be aware of what’s happening.
On the thefts, I have an idea: TAKE YOUR KEY WITH YOU. It can stay in your pocket or purse. These thieves don’t have the capability to start a car without the key. AND Don’t leave valuables in your car.
Fortunately, we drive old cars that no one would want to steal!!
But just in case- when we pull into our garage from shopping we close the garage door before we unload. When we pump gas we close the driver door and stand by the car while pumping- very little opportunity to jump in and drive off without at least having to say excuse me- I want to steal your old jalopy.
No GUNS- wouldn’t want to give a family member the opportunity to shoot me by accident or on purpose!
Westport has become a target because of the many people who refuse to simply not leave their keys in their car. (We’re not even talking about unlocked cars!)
Personally, I do not want to be killed (or have some innocent person killed) by a police officer or suspect in a high-speed chase or shootout to protect those idiots’ cars, which are insured and replaceable. Nor do I think police should be summarily executing people who steal replaceable property that apparently has little value to its owner.
The perspective of people living in rural areas of the country is irrelevant. I doubt there are many $100K+ cars with the equivalent of a “please steal me” sign hanging on them there. Nor do open carry laws have any deterrent effect when you leave your keys in your car parked in your driveway overnight. Florida’s auto insurance rates are among the highest in the country, so open carry doesn’t seem to be working out well there. Perhaps shootouts over minor traffic disputes aren’t, in fact, a good thing. Thanks for your input though.
The US is a mafia state addicted to guns and drugs. We are ruled by psychopaths and 12 year old pre-pubescent boys.