In recent years there has been an uptick in not just vehicle entries but the theft of catalytic converters and the outright theft of vehicles themselves, police say. Police can’t be everywhere all the time, so when it comes to crime prevention, awareness and common sense are key.

Captain Joseph Murgo of the East Haven Police Department spoke recently with the Courier to review the state of criminal activity in town as it relates to thefts and outlined steps everyone can take to help mitigate these crimes.

“Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen an increase in thefts from [and the thefts of] unlocked vehicles at residences,” explained Murgo. “We’re seeing crews of individuals—two, three, four—going through neighborhoods, checking every car door, and if they are lucky enough to get an unlocked car, they rifle through them and take any belongings with value.”

Besides valuables—including wallets, purses, backpacks, laptops, and loose change—left in vehicles for thieves, “some people are leaving key fobs in their vehicles, and then the cars are being stolen,” Murgo said.

“[These crimes] are happening more and more,” Murgo noted. “In the suburbs, people have historically felt they have not needed to lock their cars,” thus creating what police warn is an open opportunity for thieves to enter vehicles and take what they want.

“We hear it all the time,” Murgo said, “of people saying they’ve lived in their neighborhood for 30 or 35 years and they’ve never had to lock their doors before. But times have changed, and everyone needs to lock their doors these days.”

“The thieves don’t want to bring attention to themselves,” Murgo continued. “You might think they want to smash windows to get into the cars, but they value quantity over quality. They go for the unlocked cars so they can keep going all night long without waking people up and getting the police started their way.”

“If they encounter a car that’s locked, they’re really not smashing windows,” Murgo noted. “Sometimes they are, but that’s not the rule. For the most part, they keep moving to look for the unlocked car.”

“If something is visible, the crime of opportunity comes into play,” Murgo said, so removal of all objects and/or keeping objects of interest placed out of site, becomes a big deterrent.

And keeping that extra set of keys inside a vehicle is something that should always be avoided, police warned.

“We have seen some higher-end cars stolen, but most of the crimes are crimes of opportunity,” Murgo said, and keys left in vehicles provide a major opportunity for the theft of the vehicle.

Catalytic Converter Thefts

When it comes to the theft of catalytic converters, Murgo noted there is no reliable method of prevention outside of keeping vehicles locked in garages whenever possible.

When a garage is not available, Murgo advised “stay vigilant and park your vehicle in a well-lit area. But I think our best chance of combating the catalytic convert thefts is at the state level, to prohibit some of these scrap yards and junkyards from taking catalytic converters without a certain level of documentation.”

Murgo mentioned that officials with the state have been in discussions about rules and regulations that could be imposed on scrap yards, “but right now it’s just way too easy to go to a scrap yard or junkyard with 15 catalytic converters in your trunk and sell to them.”

With a battery-powered saw fitted with a diamond-cut blade, “a thief can cut a catalytic converter from a vehicle and be back in their own vehicle in a minute to a minute and one-half,” Murgo explained. “Zip, zip, and they’re gone. The value of the precious metals inside the catalytic converters, mixed with how easy it is to cut the converters off, makes it the crime of the week right now.”

One of the major problems police see regarding the theft of catalytic converters is the lack of cooperation among the less scrupulous scrap yards that fail to work with police and report the purchases they make of catalytic converters.

Police detectives note that when a scrap yard purchases a catalytic converter, the transaction is supposed to be recorded on a “scrap sheet,” and that information is then supposed to be given to police under both state and town ordinances. Not all scrap yards comply with these rules, and thus thieves can circumvent the system aimed at reducing catalytic converter thefts.

Police note that thieves are getting more brazen in what they are stealing, and when they strike. Thefts of catalytic converters are occurring in broad daylight in populated areas, like commuter lots, schools, retail plazas, and residential driveways.

Don’t Engage with Thieves

Police also warn that these thieves may have outstanding felony warrants (sometimes for murder), often carry firearms, and have gang affiliations in the bigger cities in Connecticut, so citizens should never engage with them to defend property.

These crimes of opportunity are committed by both juveniles and adults, often with extensive criminal histories. Police advise the best course of action for citizens is to be good witnesses and report suspicious incidents and suspected criminal activity to the police immediately.

Prevention

To prevent crimes of opportunity, like items being taken from entered vehicles or the theft of vehicles themselves, police advise vigilance, awareness, and common sense.

With the ongoing and increasing issue of “crimes of opportunity” as Murgo explained, it’s important for everyone to be aware and make strides to reduce “opportunity” to help deter crime.

“A good tip is to get an alarm on your phone for 9 p.m. to remind yourself to lock your cars and take your valuables inside, so you start getting in the routine before you get comfortable for the night and go to bed,” Murgo advised. “Do the same thing every night and make it a habit.”

“We recommend motion lights, Ring cameras, and any type of surveillance systems that are triggered by motion,” Murgo said, adding, “Those help us out immensely because we’re able to see suspect vehicles, and we’re able to see the suspects themselves and get clothing descriptions, to help us track these criminals down.”