The following was written by Chief Ryan J. Greco of the Cranford Police Department in response to an uptick of motor vehicle thefts over the course of the past year.

During last week’s New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police meeting, Acting Attorney General Matthew Platkin addressed Chiefs of Police from around the State of New Jersey about the rise in auto thefts in our State.  The Attorney General assured the leadership of Municipal Law Enforcement Agencies that his office plans to provide local police agencies with the tools and resources necessary to address auto theft in our State, especially in light of auto crimes now being associated with other violent crimes. This alarming  data was recently outlined in a March 11^th, 2022 article written by the Acting Attorney General Platkin and New Jersey State Police Colonel Patrick Callahan (Together, law enforcement and the public can curb NJ auto theft | Opinion ).

Cranford is not immune to this auto theft crisis, seeing 34 vehicles reported stolen from our Township in just over 1 year between January of 2021 and March of 2022.  During one such incident, the homeowner was nearly struck by the stolen vehicle as the actors intentionally drove toward them to flee the scene of the crime.  In Cranford, we can no longer assume that these events will only result in the theft of moveable property, especially when the suspects are willing to risk significantly injuring our residents in the process of stealing a car.

Why is this happening?  According to Kelley Blue Book, car theft has been rapidly on the rise since the start of the pandemic.  Vehicle shortages create a high demand and when vehicles are not properly safeguarded by their owners, these “crimes of opportunity” become more commonplace.  A suburban community may get a reputation for having high-end vehicles and leaving those vehicles unlocked with their key fobs readily available.  The proverbial “word on the street” gets out to would-be criminals, who may easily access our community through one of two Garden State Parkway interchange locations.  These vehicles are also being stolen for the purpose of being utilized in the commission of more violent crimes. 

Although these statistics and events are a troubling statewide trend trickling into our community, residents should rest assured that they live in a safe Township with an expectation of finding their vehicle in their driveway each morning.  Anything short of that is unacceptable, and we are working with local, County and State law enforcement agencies to combat this crisis together.

Residents can help in this effort by changing old routines and following simple steps to decrease the possibility of becoming a victim of auto theft:

• Lock your vehicles, take your keys.
• Remove valuables from your vehicle and ensure your windows are closed.
• Place fobs in purses or in jacket pockets to avoid accidentally leaving them in vehicles.
• Never leave a vehicle idling for prolonged periods of time.
• If you see something suspicious, call 9-1-1 immediately.  Avoid taking matters into your own hands.  The faster you call 9-1-1, the faster our officers may respond.
• Research if your vehicle has a tracking system that can be used to recover your vehicle if stolen and if so, determine how to immediately access this critical information after a theft.
• Always have your license plate and distinguishing characteristics of your vehicle (magnets, bumper stickers) readily available.  Have current photos of your vehicle in your smartphone saved under “favorites”.
• If you receive Ring or Nest notifications about activity around your home, check these notifications immediately and alert police if you see actors walking up to vehicles or walking through your property – especially near driveways.

The Cranford Police Department often utilizes technological tools to track stolen vehicles entering and leaving our community.  We still rely heavily on our residents’ observations and home surveillance footage when conducting vehicle burglary and theft investigations.  If you have a Ring, Nest, or surveillance system, please visit our free Cranford Police app and click on “CCC Program” to register your system with our Cranford Civilian Camera program.

I continue to work closely with the Union County Police Chief’s Association to connect our municipal agencies with our partners in the Attorney General’s Office and the New Jersey State Police to help combat this growing trend.  We have voiced our frustration with some of the legislated changes to our statewide motor vehicle pursuit policy, bail reform, but most importantly, municipal law enforcement agencies not having a seat at the table during legislative decision-making.  I am confident that Acting Attorney General Platkin and Colonel Patrick Callahan have heard our collective concerns and have mobilized their organizations to lead the way in ending the vehicle theft crisis in our State.  I have equal confidence in the professionals of the Cranford Police Department who respond to, investigate, and aid in the successful prosecution of those who are committing crimes in our community.  As always, please reach out to our organization if you have any questions, comments or concerns that help us better serve you, our residents.

Sincerely,

Ryan J. Greco

Chief of Police

Release Provided by D/Lt. Matthew R. Nazzaro

Cranford Police Department – PIO

m-nazzaro@cranfordnj.org / 908-709-4313