Barrington Police Captain Dino DeCrescenzo said there has been a string of recent car break-ins in town and across the rest of the state, but many times the larcenies are not being reported.

Capt. DeCrescenzo said that many of the victims choose not to call police because "there's not much missing" from their vehicles, maybe some loose change or sunglasses. He said police learned recently that there have been larcenies from motor vehicles on Meadowbrook Drive, Barton Avenue, Tyler Point Road and Sowams Road. 

Capt. DeCrescenzo said Barrington learned of the larcenies after Warren police arrested a person who was found in possession of a GPS that had a Barrington address on it. Barrington police contacted the people at that address, who acknowledged that their vehicle had been involved in a recent incident that had not been reported.

"They're going through cars, seeing what they can take," said Capt. DeCrescenzo.

"Don't leave anything valuable in your car," he said. "If they see something, they're going to take it… It's multiple houses — dozens of cars within minutes."

Capt. DeCrescenzo said the criminals are now referring to the larcenies as "car-hopping."

"It's happening all over the state. It's in every community," he said. 

Occasionally the incidents can also result in stolen vehicles. 

On Thursday, Aug. 2, a Barrington police officer was on traffic patrol at about 10:50 p.m. when he spotted a white van speeding north on the Wampanoag Trail. The officer ordered the vehicle over to the side of the road, but the driver sped away. Police chased the vehicle to a gas station on the Wampanoag Trail in East Providence; the driver had exited the vehicle and fled on foot.

Police said they later contacted the registered owner of the van. The Riverside man said his vehicle had been stolen from his driveway. He said he often leaves his van key inside the vehicle overnight. 

"If you leave the keys inside the car, they'll take it for a joyride," said Capt. DeCrescenzo. 

The suspect in the stolen van incident has been described as a white male with dark hair who was wearing a black shirt and khaki pants.