Police in South Jersey are once again sounding the alarm and reminding people to lock their doors and take their keys inside after several cars were stolen overnight Friday into Saturday.
Surveillance cameras caught the moment a thief drives off in somebody else’s van in Wenonah in Gloucester County.
“Friday night into the early morning hours Saturday in Wenonah, every single vehicle targeted, the keys were unfortunately in the vehicle,” said Sgt. Cody Mroz of the Mantua Township Police Department. “So, they didn’t have to break a window. They didn’t have to copy any key fob technology. It was just as simple as them going in an unlocked car, touching the button and then taking the vehicle that way.”
Mantua Township police say they have already tracked down three of the four cars that were stolen over the weekend, but they are still asking for the community’s help in curbing car thefts.
“As soon as we get notification, our unit gets together as a team and tries to go out and get the keys back as quick as possible,” said Det. Sgt. Rob Layton of the Mantua Township Police Department.
One of the vehicles recovered belongs to a man who told NBC10 that his family relies on the vehicle.
“We need it for family, work, kids. It’s at very least inconvenient. There’s a violation aspect to it, too. At the same time, you have to keep it, property crime happens all the time. At least it wasn’t something worse.”
Several other South Jersey communities have had issues with car thefts in recent months as well, with cars getting stolen in Washington Township as well as West Deptford.
“Once they establish that they have a community where people aren’t locking their cars, and keeping the keys in it, they are going to continue to come down here,” Layton said.
Therefore, police are urging people everywhere to be extra vigilant and make sure their key fobs are out of the cars and their doors are locked.
“Also, if you see two or three cars go down your street, and it’s not normal for cars to be going down your street slow, especially in a line almost like a procession,” Mroz said. “That is suspicious to us. Please don’t hesitate to call.”
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