PD: thieves broke into vehicles left warming up

WILLIMANTIC, Conn. (WTNH) -- Willimantic has seen a rise in stolen cars and break-ins. Police say a large number of thefts involved cars being left unlocked and running while they are warming up.

No matter how many times News 8 does these stories people seem to continue to leave their cars unlocked or leave valuables in plain sight and that's just asking for trouble.

A surveillance video shows the thieves at work. Police say the suspects smashed several car windows at the NAPA auto parts store in Willimantic.

"It was a big pain because we need to open and 89 percent of our business is delivered so our delivery fleet came to a complete standstill," said Jeff LeBlanc of NAPA Auto Parts.

The video was key in helping police quickly track down the suspects believed responsible for a total of 29 break-ins in 3 weeks.

"It's just something we think we should have and protect the place and today it really paid off," said LeBlanc.

The teens also allegedly stole several cars, some that were left running to warm up while owners were in their homes. Cars left unlocked were easy targets. The thieves were seeking valuables like loose change.

"Something as simply as a phone charger plugged in will attract them and definitely a GPS," said Cpl. Sean Labbe, Willimantic Police.

Police say when the thieves were rummaging through the cars say in the glove box or center console they would sometimes come across a spare set of keys. They'd take those keys and days or weeks later come back in the middle of the night and steal that car.

Police say folks shouldn't rest easy just because these supects were caught.

"I think they should always be alert because there are always new up and coming criminals to pick up where these people left off," said Cpl Labbe.

Police are now putting together the warrants and expect to make the arrests shortly. They say one of the suspects is a juvenile.

Willimantic Police has provided the following tips to help protect you from becoming a victim of an auto break-in or car theft:

• Never leave your vehicle running unattended, even for a few minutes. This includes warming it up during inclement weather. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau a motor vehicle is stolen in the US every 26.4 seconds, leading to approx. 1.1mil cars being stolen every year. A leading cause to these thefts are related to leaving an unattended vehicle running.
• Always make sure to lock your vehicle. Nearly half of car break-ins do not involve forcible entry. By locking your vehicle, you deter those individuals who don't want to look suspicious by breaking out a window. If a vehicle is locked, these criminals will usually move on to the next vehicle.
• Don't leave anything in plain view inside your vehicle, even if you don't consider it valuable, such as loose change. Many auto break-ins occur where only the most seemingly useless items are taken. By the same account, don't leave your newly purchased bags visible in your car after spending a day shopping at the mall. A car full of expensive merchandise is a criminal's paradise.
• Keep your eyes out for potential thieves in daylight hours and in large parking lots. Not all car break-ins are nighttime crimes. Large parking lots, such as malls and apartment complexes, offer a "target-rich" environment for criminals. A person walking up and down rows of cars may be lost, but they may also be casing the parking lot.
• If you are a victim of a car theft or break-in, immediately report the incident to your local law enforcement agency. Most criminals are in and out of a vehicle in a matter of seconds, making them difficult to catch in the act. By alerting law enforcement immediately, the chances for catching the perpetrators of the crime increase dramatically.