Crimes of opportunity—that's how detectives are categorizing car thefts in New Jersey—crimes of opportunity, according to officials.
Cars thieves are not breaking windows to get inside. They are not cracking open the steering column in order to touch two wires together to fire up the engine. No. They are entering unlocked cars and using key fobs left inside to simply start the car and drive away, officials say. Far too many people are making this crime that easy.
Officials state that the victims come from all walks of life. These crimes are not just happening in the cities. Rural counties and towns are being targeted as well. Thieves look for cars parked outside that may be unlocked with key fobs inside. So the police are urging all New Jersey residents to lock their cars and keep keys and fobs separate from your vehicle.
Leaving your fob inside of a car is the equivalent of leaving a key in the ignition, officials say. You're inviting thieves into your neighborhoods.
PLEASE LOCK YOUR CARS AND REMOVE THE KEYS.
Additionally, the police strongly urge you to remove anything of value from inside your car, or at the very least, keep valuables out of plain sight. If you leave things like laptops, wallets, purses, and smart phones in plain sight, well, you’re just giving a criminal a reason to get inside.
Thank you, and be safe!