Police have recovered from Waterbury two automobiles that were stolen from separate Button Shop Road residences earlier this month in a continuing investigation into a series of vehicle-related thefts that occurred in Botsford.

Auto theft is a relatively rare crime locally, so it is unusual to have two autos stolen from the same neighborhood in just over a week.

Sometime between 5:30 pm on February 8 and 7:45 am on February 9, someone stole a white 2013 BMW X-1 compact crossover SUV from a residential driveway at Button Shop Road. Police have said that the BMW's keys apparently had been left inside the vehicle before it was stolen.

Also, at 8 am on February 1, police received a call from a Button Shop Road resident and learned that an unlocked black 2013 Hyundai Elantra with its keys inside it had been stolen overnight.

Police Sergeant Aaron Bahamonde said February 18 that police recovered the two stolen vehicles in Waterbury on February 15. The BMW had been vandalized before police found it, he said.

Police collected fingerprint evidence and DNA evidence from the two autos before turning the vehicles over to their owners, he said.

Besides vehicle thefts, the theft of items from within unlocked vehicles has been occurring in Newtown and other area towns, the sergeant said.

Newtown police are cooperating with police in Waterbury, Middlebury, Danbury, Bethel, Brookfield, and Redding in probing the recent rash of larcenies.

The sergeant termed the auto thefts and the recent thefts of items from unlocked vehicles as "crimes of opportunity" in which thieves seize opportunities to steal.

Police urge that residents be aware of the potential for such thefts occurring.

Deterrents include locking vehicles with their windows rolled up when the vehicles are unattended, not leaving auto keys inside vehicles, and not leaving any items of value visible within the vehicles. Autos should be parked in well-lit areas, if possible.

Items that thieves typically steal from vehicles include laptop computers, music players, navigation units, and loose change.

Sgt Bahamonde said police are confident that the group of people responsible for the auto-related thefts will be found and arrested.

Police on patrol in town have been on the watch for suspicious activity, he said.

To report suspicious activity, the police telephone number is 203-426-5841. In emergencies, call 911.