Local authorities are urging the public to stay vigilant as car thefts rise across the state.

"It's alarming," Westport's Joanne Kabak says. "It's a societal issue that needs to be addressed."

A recent FBI report claims Connecticut residents were ripped off by over $600 million in property crimes from 2020 to 2022, more than half of which can be attributed to car thefts.

"The odds that your car's going to get stolen are much higher now than they were four or five years ago," associate professor of criminal justice Mike Lawlor says.

Despite the report, Lt. Eric Woods, of the Westport Police Department, says the Bridgeport Regional Auto Theft Task Force is making strides in the fight against thefts.

"We've said it a lot, but lock your cars. Take your key fob inside because the next thing you know, they're getting in your car and pushing your garage door opener that's in your car, and now we have something that's more serious than just your car being stolen," he says.

Police say don't engage someone trying to break into your car, and immediately report it to the authorities.