The Westport Police Department said today there has been “a marked increase” in home burglaries and various property crimes from last year.
Automobile thefts more than tripled, and home and commercial burglaries more than doubled during the same late May through early July 2019 period, police said. Automobile burglaries have more than doubled, and shoplifting jumped from just one case in 2019 to eight this year.
According to Lt. Anthony Prezioso, the department responded to three stolen motor vehicle reports last year compared to 10 within the same period “with an eleventh stolen vehicle from another jurisdiction recovered here in out town.”
He said that in every case, the stolen vehicle had been left unlocked with the keys in the car.
Unlocked vehicles were also cited for the spike in burglarized autos, which climbed from five to 10.
“In multiple cases wallets containing credit cards were stolen and subsequently used fraudulently to make various purchases,” Prezioso said.
“The actual numbers of these types of incidents are almost always assumed to be higher than is reported, as many do not notify police in situations where vehicles were entered but nothing of any significant value appears to have been taken.”
Last year there were three building burglaries, two commercial and one residential.
“In this same stretch of time in 2020, we investigated a total of six residential burglaries, four of which featured forced entry into these structures,” Prezioso said.
“The most brazen of these burglaries was perpetrated in the overnight hours while the home was occupied, and the residents were asleep. Entry had been gained through an unlocked door.
“We ask that you please let all of this data serve as a stark reminder that property crimes and theft seem to be trending upward within our community.
Police asked residents to help by contacting the Police Department at 203-341-6000 if they notice any unusual activity in their neighborhood.
“We wish to reiterate our firm belief that no one knows your neighborhood better than you do,” Prezioso said.
