Southington police respond to 18 ‘smash and grab’ burglaries throughout town

SOUTHINGTON, CT (WFSB) - Police in Southington asked vehicle owners to be mindful of valuables being left in plain view.

They said they recently responded to 18 smash and grab burglaries throughout town.

“All have been locked vehicles with valuables left in plain view,” said Lt. Keith Egan, Southington police. “While we still continue to see a large number of unlocked vehicle’s being burglarized, this crime can often be prevented by locking your vehicle [and] not leaving valuables visible from outside the vehicle.”

Police urged people to better secure their vehicles and keep valuables out of view from the windows.

Officials say even leaving inexpensive items around is not a good idea.

“Don’t leave stuff around that encourages people. It can even be stuff as simple as loose change. We have had car burglaries for pennies because they go right in the car and they see there is an opportunity to dig for something else,” says Egan.

They also suggested stowing any power cords or cables so potential thieves don’t get the idea that electronics could be inside.

They said all it can take for a thief to be in and out of a vehicle is 30 seconds, which is fast enough for them to not be deterred by an alarm.

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