The Cranford Police Department responded to three separate reports of attempted motor vehicle thefts occurring during the early morning hours this past weekend. 

Police first responded to a Hillside Place residence on the report of a burglary to a motor vehicle on June 11th, 2023.  The victim reported hearing their Kia’s car alarm sounding between the hours of 5AM and 6AM.  Upon closer inspection, the victim observed that a rear window on their Kia was smashed and the ignition was damaged. 

Police then responded to the 500 Block of Orchard Street on a report of another motor vehicle burglary after-the-fact.  Investigating officers were able to determine that a suspect arrived at the victim’s residence at 05:44AM in a Kia sedan.  The suspect attempted to open the victim’s Audi and, when unsuccessful, ran back to the Kia to flee the scene. 

Lastly, on June 12^th, 2023 police responded to the first block of Elizabeth Avenue on a report of an attempted motor vehicle theft involving another Audi.  In this event, the victim reports that their dog began barking at 12:30AM which alerted them to an individual attempting to enter their vehicle.  Upon reviewing surveillance video, the victim observed the suspect flee in a dark colored SUV.

Police confirmed that with the exception of the first vehicle sustaining damage to a window, no entry was made into the other victims’ vehicles.

All three incidents remain active investigations.  Individuals who may have information beneficial to these investigations are asked to contact the Cranford Police Detective Bureau at 908-709-7345 or 908-709-7346.

Residents are reminded to remain alert and to report any suspicious vehicles, persons, or activity to the Cranford Police Department immediately.  “While some motor vehicle burglaries result in property being stolen from within the passenger compartment, in these cases, the suspect is entering the vehicle with the purpose of stealing it,” Chief Ryan Greco said. He encouraged residents to utilize exterior lighting when possible, locks vehicles, activate alarm systems, and remove key fobs from vehicles as a daily crime prevention routine. 

The Cranford Police Department also has a Cranford Citizen Camera (CCC) program where residents may register their home surveillance system or doorbell cameras with the department, greatly assisting in follow-up investigations.  For more information on this program or any of our community outreach and crime prevention initiatives, contact Officer Ali Muhammad at a-muhammad@cranfordnj.org