Stonington police step up patrols

STONINGTON, Conn. (WTNH) -- Neighbors in the Pawcatuck section of Stonington are on alert. Police say there has been a surge in home and car break-ins.

Many say police have done a great job in tracking down the thieves, but now the First Selectman and some in the community want to find a way to prevent other break-ins.

"Started rummaging through the middle console of this individual's car."

Sean McGill says that's after the thief broke into his Chevrolet dealership through a window.

"This is the first time in 25 years that we've had anything like this and now it's happened twice in six months. It's a concern," said McGill, of McGill Chevrolet.

After breaking out a window, the suspect then proceeded to break into several other cars in the area leaving a trail of blood. Police were able to capture him pretty quickly, but McGill says he would like to make sure this just doesn't happen again.

And so would the First Selectman calling on the community and police to put an end to this trend.

"I think it's a combination of trying to deal with the environmental factors there, make it a crime prevention type of area," said First Selectman Ed Haberek. "We're also looking to get more of a neighborhood watch and also community policing coupled with that."

Police say stepped up efforts have made a difference.

"We had put reserve officers and CSO's, community service officers, on the street earlier than normal doing some foot patrols, specific patrols just for that area, and that will be our intent again this year to do that," said Capt. Jerry Desmond, Stonington Police.

They are also looking at adding crime watches and cameras. McGill is doing the same along with motion detector lights and bars on windows.

"Things that you would not think you'd have to do in little Pawcatuck, Connecticut," said McGill.

Warmer weather often brings out more people and that's why police also increase their presence in Pawcatuck.