Spike in stolen cars reported in Stamord
STAMFORD — A big spike in stolen cars in the city has prompted police to remind residents to get their key fobs out of their cars before locking them up for the night.
From April 3 to April 14, a total of 14 vehicles were reported stolen in Stamford,
Assistant Police Chief Tom Wuennemann said. During the same time period last year, only two vehicles were reported stolen.
“I want to remind people to lock their cars and not leave their keys or key fobs in them,” Wuennemann said.
There are probably many factors at work in the current crime spree, with people who have been laid off needing money as well as those looking for cars to steal and finding plenty of opportunity, he said. Insurance fraud may be playing a factor, too, although Wuennemann admitted that there has been no evidence up to this point showing that is the case.
Three vehicles were taken in one night earlier this month from Riley Volvo Cars on Myrtle Avenue, Property Crimes Sgt. Sean Scanlon said. That case has been all but resolved with the arrests of three suspects — a 19-year-old Stamford man and two juvenile boys, he said.
Six of the remaining 10 stolen cars were boosted from the West Side, including from Virgil Street and Fairfield Avenue. Two others were taken from downtown addresses, and one was stolen off High Ridge and the other in The Cove.
All but three of the cars were stolen at night, police said.
“From talking to officers in the New York City Police Department, they have seen
“I want to remind people to lock their cars and not leave their keys or key fobs in them.”
Stamford Assistant Police Chief Tom Wuennemann
property crimes go up 35 (percent) to 40 percent” in the coronavirus pandemic, Scanlon said.
“We haven’t experienced that here yet, but we have seen an uptick of stolen vehicles in the beginning of this month compared to 2019,” he said. “The vast majority, if not all of those stolen vehicles, were left unlocked with the key fobs left in the car.”
One vehicle stolen overnight from April 16 into April 17 was typical, he said. Two unlocked cars were parked in a single driveway, but the spare key fob to one of the cars was left in the other, he said. The thief quickly realized that the key fob belonged to the other car and took it, Scanlon said.