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.
