Video of Auto Theft in Naugatuck Shows How Quick it Happens

Naugatuck Police have sent out a video depicting a motor vehicle theft. Police have been warning residents about auto thefts after 22 vehicles were stolen in Naugatuck in the past two months - usually, the NPD receives about four auto theft complaints per month. Similar thefts have happened in large numbers in other local towns, as well, police said. 

Police are warning residents not to leave their cars running or their keys inside because most of the cars were running when they were stolen. The owners went inside stores briefly to come out and find their cars stolen, police said. 

The attached video surveillance footage shows a motor vehicle that occurred on Monday, Aug. 5, at 11:56 a.m. at the Naugatuck Cumberland Farms Store on North Main Street in Naugatuck. The footage shows a Jeep Cherokee parked unoccupied, unlocked, not running with its keys in the ignition. The victim parked the vehicle less than two minutes before this footage starts. The footage shows a white Mercedes pull up alongside the Jeep and a suspect exiting the Mercedes driver side door and getting into the Jeep. In less than 30 seconds, both vehicles back up and leave toward Route 8 North. 

Prior to this clip the Mercedes is seen driving through the parking lot several times, presumably staking out vehicles.