Car thefts in Westport over the last year have been extremely prominent; however, in recent weeks, there has been an uptick in carjacking, leaving many civilians afraid that their car may be next.
Earlier this month, a Mercedes Benz was stolen at an Exxon gas station on Post Road East, while the car owner was directly next to their vehicle. This situation was distressing for the car owner and highlights a broader issue of car theft, which affects not only individuals but the community as a whole.
According to CT Insider, one thief in particular tried to flee from the police, taking such extremes like entering the Merritt Parkway in the wrong direction, coming head on into traffic. While there were no serious injuries, this behavior is a clear example as to how far individuals will go in order to steal a vehicle, ensuring that no vehicle is safe to be left unlocked in Westport.
Westport is oftentimes viewed as being a considerably affluent area. As a result of this response, the town ultimately becomes more prone to instances like car thefts and break ins, and even home burglaries. Citizens become too relaxed, pursuing this idea that they do not need to lock their cars or doors because it seems unlikely that anything could actually go wrong.
Kate Berkley ’26 was aware of the carjackings and her family automatically became more alert about this. Earlier this school year, two car thefts tried to break into their car while the family was inside their home. Luckily, the car was locked, resulting in the thieves fleeing the scene almost immediately.
“It made me feel so scared watching [the video footage] of them trying to break into the car,” Berkeley ’26 said. “If the car was unlocked, they could have stolen something in the car, or the car itself.”
Many Westport citizens are familiar with a video that was posted on 06880, which highlights the carjacking of an Aston Martin, resulting in two thieves following a Westport man back to his home located on Bayberry Avenue. While some people might believe that this solely was because this was a fancy car, they fail to recognize that numerous other vehicles have been broken into as well. It is vital to ensure that all cars are locked, and if granted access to, put in a garage with a code. In doing so, it is important to even double check that the vehicle is locked.
Recently, an anonymous Staples student believed that they locked their car while at the gym, but were sorely mistaken when they returned to their car looking for their backpack, only to realize it was missing.
“I tracked my computer through my phone, and saw that the location was at a random house in another town, and I immediately knew my car had been broken into,” an anonymous student said. “The gym’s cameras showed a car pull up next to mine and open my door while I was in the gym, but the quality was not good enough to catch the license plate of the car, therefore there was nothing we could do about it.”
