Barrington Police Chief Dino DeCrescenzo has a message for Barrington residents: Do not leave anything valuable in your cars overnight.

For weeks, the town has been plagued by a series of larcenies from motor vehicles. During the council meeting earlier this month, the chief said there have been 13 formal complaints filed since Sept. 1, 2020, but it is likely that far more residents have been impacted. Typically, someone only calls to report an incident if something of value was taken from a vehicle.

“We can only stress to lock your cars and don’t leave anything valuable in them,” Chief DeCrescenzo said during the council meeting. He added that it appears many of the thieves are using bikes to get around town. He said it was difficult to catch them — when they hear a vehicle approaching, they will hide from the officers.

The chief said residents should call police if they hear any noises.

At about 12:20 a.m. on Tuesday morning, April 6, a Foote Street resident called police to report a larceny from a motor vehicle. The resident said he was laying awake in bed when he heard a noise from outside in the driveway. The man told police he looked outside and saw a 6-foot-tall individual wearing a hoodie and a backpack going through one of the cars. When the resident went to the door, the thief fled the area on foot, running toward Chianese Field. The resident said a small amount of change was stolen.

A day earlier, a Ferry Lane resident told police someone had rummaged through the vehicles parked outside overnight. Loose change was reported stolen, and the suspects were some kids on bikes.

That same day, a Doane Road resident told police someone stole a bicycle and a scooter from an unlocked garage, and a Prince’s Hill Avenue resident called police to report that while checking her Ring camera video, she saw someone go through her vehicle.

Chief DeCrescenzo said it is not just loose change disappearing from cars. He said two residents have also reported the attempted larceny of catalytic converters. Earlier this month, an Anoka Avenue resident told police someone removed the catalytic converter from his car, which had been parked in his driveway for months. Police said the converters are very heavy and are scrapped for money.

On Wednesday, April 7, a New Meadow Road resident took her car to a local mechanic after it started making a weird noise. The mechanic examined the vehicle and said it appeared someone tried to cut the catalytic converter from her car.