CROMWELL -- Two cars -- both Japanese imports -- were reported stolen Wednesday.

Car thefts are not all that common in town; but two on the same day is highly unusual, police officials said.

By chance, the two cars were reported stolen within two minutes of one another Wednesday afternoon. However, police said that was pure coincidence.

One of the cars had been parked early in the morning and had been left unattended all day, meaning it could have been taken at any time.

It just happened that the owner came out of work and found his car missing at almost exactly the same time that a woman who had been shopping for approximately an hour discovered her car had been taken.

One of the cars was reported taken from Hammerhead Place, the other from Alcap Ridge, Police Chief Anthony J. Salvatore said.

"This is extremely unusual," Salvatore said. "We are looking into all aspects of it," the chief said of the double thefts. "But this is definitely not the norm."

Both of the cars that were taken were Hondas, Sgt. Edwin Kosinski said, which is not unusual. They are among a group of cars that act as magnets to car thieves, Kosinski suggested.
