This time, thieves made off with $400 prescription sunglasses, two 24-karat gold rings, $1,500 surgical glasses, and a watch among other booty just sitting there ready for the pilfering in unlocked cars parked on New Haven’s west side.
Top Westville/ West Hills/ West Rock/ Amity/ Beverly Hills cop Lt.. Rose Dell wants people to know about these thefts — and perhaps start locking their cars!
Dell includes the four thefts in her latest weekly round-up of west side crimes:
FROM 7/21/19 to 7/27/19 POLICE RESPONDED TO 167 CALLS FOR SERVICE IN THE WESTVILLE/WEST HILLS SECTION OF NEW HAVEN. THE FOLLOWING IS A BRIEF SUMMARY OF NOTABLE INCIDENTS:
This week four cars were burglarized in Westville. Sometime Monday overnight a $400 pair of prescription sunglasses, and an empty wicker basket were stolen from an unlocked vehicle on Knollwood Drive. Overnight between 7/21 and 7/22, an unlocked vehicle was entered on the 300 block of Blake Street and a wallet and two 24-karat gold rings were stolen. Two credit cards that were in the wallet were used at local stores. Officers are looking for video footage associated with these transactions. Another unlocked vehicle was broken into overnight on 7/24 on McKinley Avenue. Two pairs of surgical glasses (worth $1500 a piece), a pair of safety glasses, the electronic key fob to the vehicle, a medical textbook and various phone chargers were taken in the theft. The total value of items stolen was between $4,000 and $5,000. On 7/27, a resident of the 200 block of Fitch Street found that his identification, social security card, credit card, wrist watch and $300 were missing from his vehicle.
Three garage burglaries occurred over the week. A resident of Lawncrest Road reported that he was out of town over the weekend. When he returned Monday afternoon, he found the side door to his garage was open and a side window was shattered. A Huffy brand mountain bike was stolen. Sometime overnight on 7/24, a side window to a garage was broken on Central Avenue. A Felt brand bicycle was taken. Two more bikes, a leaf blower and a fishing tackle bag were stolen from a residence on McKinley Avenue between 7/23 – 7/25.
A resident of West Rock Avenue was asleep at 5 a.m. on 7/25 when he heard a car horn blaring. He looked outside and saw a vehicle fully engulfed in flames. Fire investigators determined that the fire was suspicious and towed the vehicle to the police garage for further testing.
On 7/26, police responded to Wayfarer Street on a large fight. Two groups of males argued over the purchase of a “beat bag,” which is street slang for a bag of marijuana that contains oregano or lawn clippings. A male was stabbed in the melee and suffered a small laceration to his head. Rocks were thrown at a residence which broke numerous windows and created a dent in the front door. One subject was arrested for the damage to the residence. The investigation continues as officers review video surveillance and conduct additional interviews of involved parties and witnesses.
On 7/25, police responded to Victory Drive on the report of a domestic dispute occurring in a black Honda. As Officers turned onto the street, a black Honda sped off at a high rate of speed. A short vehicle pursuit ensued until the vehicle lost control on Bank Street, hit a curb, and the passenger side tire deflated. The driver took off on foot and then hid in the apartment complex on South Genesee Street. Officer Cari spotted the subject hidden beneath a bush. The subject was arrested and searched. Officers located 93 bags of crack cocaine and nearly $700 in cash. He was charged with drug possession with intent to sell and fleeing from the police. Officers returned to Victory Drive and did not find anyone with information on a domestic dispute.
Police responded to Rock Creek Road Friday night around 11:15 p.m. on multiple calls of shots fired. A residence was struck nine times and a vehicle was hit that was parked in the driveway.
Friday afternoon, at 3:34 pm, a male subject walked into the Webster Bank on Whalley Avenue and appeared to be speaking on a Bluetooth type device as he approached the teller. He displayed a small handgun and demanded that the teller hand over some money. He fled with an undetermined amount of cash and walked west on Whalley Avenue towards Blake Street. The bank robber was described as a dark complexioned black male last seen wearing a dark short sleeve dress shirt and a fitted baseball cap.
Lock your doors and take stuff out of plain sight! I don't understand why that is so difficult. I agree that we shouldn't have to do that, but we must adapt to the world that we live in. It's not a nice one either. Either adapt or become a victim and complain while you did nothing to prevent the crime from happening in the first place. You can't do both.