Thieves Target Range Rovers In Upscale Fairfield County, Connecticut Towns
GREENWICH, Conn. (CBSNewYork) -- People aren't talking about it, but residents of some of the area's wealthiest suburbs are experiencing a rash of high-end car thefts.
As CBS2's Lou Young reported, Range Rovers seem to be a favorite this summer.
In upscale Fairfield County, Connecticut, some cars are hot – and others are hotter. In towns with a Maserati dealer, a Ferrari franchise, and a Bentley boutique, upscale residents of Greenwich and Darien love their Land Rovers.
"It's a beautiful car -- I love it," said Diana Vettoretti of Greenwich.
Thieves love them too. Everyone seems to know of a victim.
"An expensive Range Rover was stolen from their driveway in Greenwich," said Benno Green of Darien. "Gone."
Just this past week, designer Tommy Hilfiger confirmed that a Land Rover was grabbed from his driveway, in what is only the latest in a series of such thefts in the area. This time, the thieves made their way into a fenced-off mansion to make the grab.
Once inside, the thieves passed up a number of expensive cars -- including a Cadillac Escalade -- to get to the Land Rover. Security video showed a well-organized group of men in masks and hoodies driving the vehicle out through the disabled security gate.
The suspects then went next door to the next gated mansion and did it again.
"It's going on," said Allyson Green of Darien. "This is happening all the time."
The cars do not use traditional keys, so owners often leave the fobs – with the electronic chips in them – inside the car, because what could go wrong?
"It's a safe place to be, so I feel that I could, you know, just leave it in the car and not worry about it," Vettoretti said.
If the owners are lucky, police might be able to track the vehicles before they leave the country.
"They found the car in a container ship in New Jersey… a brand new Range Rover," Green said.
Police stress that if you have one of those new fob keys, it is best to carry it with you when you leave your car.