Police: Two cars stolen at country club in Greenwich
“Obviously, we cannot stress enough that residents need to lock up their vehicles and remove the keys or fobs whenever they are away from the vehicle. As long as the car thieves are successful with stealing cars here, they will keep coming back.” Greenwich Police Lt. Martin O’Reilly
GREENWICH — Car thieves in Greenwich are trying a new tactic — stealing vehicles at a local country club, according to police.
Police said they received reports that two Land Rovers had been stolen mid-morning Sunday at a local country club, which was not identified. The cars both had been left unlocked with the ignition devices inside, said police.
“For cars thefts, that was something new,” police Lt. Martin O’Reilly said. “We’ll get the word out to country clubs to make sure their members don’t leave their keys in their cars.” He said police were concerned that thieves would try a similar approach in the future at other sites.
A Prius that had been reported stolen in New Jersey was recovered at the club, police said. The thieves traveled in it to steal the cars in Greenwich, a common pattern, according to authorities.
“Obviously, we cannot stress enough that residents need to lock up their vehicles and remove the keys or fobs whenever they are away from the vehicle. As long as the car thieves are successful with stealing cars here, they will keep coming back,” O’Reilly said.
Most of the stolen cars in Greenwich — and there 115 stolen vehicles last year in town — were taken from residential driveways, police said. Some have also been stolen from restaurant parking lots or business areas, police said.
The report of car thefts on Sunday was not the first time this fall that town police have been dispatched to a local country club.
Police said they arrested two men from Queens, N.Y., on Oct. 3 on charges of stealing items from cars at the Round Hill Club. They were in possession of a stolen credit card and a ring taken from a vehicle when they were apprehended, according to the arrest report. A witness spotted them trying to open car doors and called police about the suspicious activity, the report stated.
Two other cars were reported stolen this week, a 2013 Dodge Durango that was taken from Laddins Rock Road in Old Greenwich, and a 2006 Toyota Prius that was stolen from Mary Lane, also in Old Greenwich, police said. The Prius was later recovered in Stamford, police said.
Greenwich police have joined a task force with other regional law-enforcement agency to crack down on the continued wave of car thefts across the area. The member agencies will share realtime intelligence about stolen cars and repeat offenders.