Stockbridge — A pair of South County police chiefs are warning residents to secure their cars, especially overnight. Earlier this week thieves entered at least five vehicles in Stockbridge and Lee and stole items that were left inside.
The incidents occurred sometime late Monday night or very early Tuesday morning. In Stockbridge, thieves entered two cars and a pick-up truck in the Church Street (Route 102) neighborhood, not far from the Stockbridge Cemetery.
Stockbridge Police Chief Darrell Fennelly confirmed the thefts in his town. He said they all occurred in the same neighborhood and involved three vehicles in two locations. Loose change and some tools were taken. In both cases, there were no broken windows or other signs of forced entry into the vehicles. Are the two thefts connected?
“I believe they’re linked, but that’s still an ongoing investigation,” Fennelly said. “It’s not something we normally experience in Stockbridge.”
The Stockbridge heist was all the talk on the Southern Berkshire Weather/Emergency Reports Facebook page. Some followers of the page were contemplating increasing security at their homes. Others were hoping the incidents were not the beginning of a crime wave.
Lee Police Chief Jeffrey Roosa also confirmed a pair of unlawful vehicle entries in his town, both on Route 102 not far from the Stockbridge line.
“They took spare change, a wallet, credit cards, tools—random stuff,” Roosa told The Edge. Roosa added that the burglarized vehicles in Lee were unlocked.
However, Roosa’s department has a lead on a suspect. The thief who took the credit card tried to use it in nearby New York state. A video camera inside the store captured footage of the suspect using the same card that was stolen in Lee.
“We have launched an investigation,” Roosa said. “It is open and ongoing.”
Both chiefs strongly advised residents to lock their vehicles when they are unattended, especially at night. And it might also be a good idea to leave a light on outside at night.
“We almost never see burglarized vehicles where thieves have broken in,” Roosa explained. “They’re looking for the easy way in. We’ve only had a handful of cars in my 23 years in the department where the window was smashed.”
“My advice would be to leave your lights on in your yard and lock your doors,” Fennelly said, adding that there is no reason for residents to be alarmed and that these incidents appear to be isolated and are not the beginning of crime wave.
