Crime & Safety

Perp Continues to Rummage Through Cars in Montauk

Police say there is a "strong likelihood" that the 30 or so reports made over the past month and a half are related.

A dozen more reports of unlocked cars being rummaged through, with cash and valuables taken from some, were made to East Hampton Town police late last week — bringing the total number of reports to about 30, if not more.

Detective Lt. Chris Anderson said there is a "strong likelihood" that they are all related, including to the theft reports police released early last week.

His department is investigating the rash of thefts that have taken place in Montauk, which started Oct. 4, and continued on Oct. 27, Nov. 9., and then again on Nov. 14. Anderson could not provide an exact number of reports that have been filed.

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All of the vehicles that were rifled through were left unlocked. "The recommendation is always going to be to lock the vehicle," Anderson said on Tuesday, adding that on some properties where there were multiple vehicles parked, those that were locked were not disturbed.

The new batch of reports, most of which were made on the morning of Nov. 15, included at least two dozen cars parked on North Farragut Road, Gladstone Place, Cranberry Road, Farrington, Glenmore, Beech Hollow Court, Gravesend Road, Fleming, and Fairview Avenue.

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A vehicle owner on Gravesend Road reported $400 in cash missing, while one on Gladstone Place reported a pair of Ray Ban sunglasses, worth $145, and an Instant Lottery Scratch-Off ticket, worth $10, stolen. Another on Farrington said $20 in cash was taken from their two vehicles.

One report said his vehicle smelled like cigarettes after he found his glove compartment open and papers rummaged through, but nothing was taken.

Last week, East Hampton Patch reported that over $4,300 in cash, electronics, computer equipment, and other valuables, were taken from cars parked at 17 properties that were rummaged through overnight on Oct. 4, Oct. 27, and on Nov. 9, according to East Hampton Town police.

"Unfortunately, this is something we go through a couple of times a year," Anderson said.

In August, electronics and cash were stolen from a few dozen vehicles in Springs. While Anderson could not provide an exact number, he estimated that between 20 and 30 reports were filed about items stolen from inside cars. Some cars were also rummaged through, in search of valuables, but nothing was found. Little damage occurred.

No arrests were made in that case.

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