FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP – The Freehold Township Police Department is advising residents and visitors to the community to avoid leaving key fobs and other valuables in their vehicles as an investigation into a series of recent vehicle thefts continues.
Police said the vehicle thefts have been occurring since June and they said that in addition to Freehold Township, similar thefts have also occurred in neighboring municipalities.
In Freehold Township, the most recent vehicle theft occurred on Sept. 2. Police said about six vehicles have been stolen in the current string of events.
The police department defines the vehicle thefts as “high-end” because the cars that have been stolen include such brands such as Audi, BMW and Mercedes.
Police said the vehicles that were targeted were not broken into; they were targeted because a key fob had been left in the vehicle. Leaving a key fob in a vehicle paves the way for thieves to gain access to the vehicle.
The stolen vehicles have been recovered in areas north of Monmouth County, including in Newark (Essex County) and in Bergen County, and were reported to have been used in other crimes.
No one has been arrested in connection with the vehicle thefts and the investigation is ongoing, according to the Freehold Township Police Department.
Police also said there has been an increase in the number of items being stolen from unlocked vehicles. Police are advising residents of and visitors to the community not to leave any valuables in vehicles, and to lock the doors and take the key fob with them upon exiting the vehicle.
“We would like to remind our residents to remove all valuables from their vehicles, including the key fob, and lock all doors,” police wrote in a statement posted online. “More often than not, these stolen cars are then being used for the commission of other, sometimes violent crimes in other jurisdictions.
“A simple stolen car can lead to significant public safety issues,” police said. “We ask the public’s assistance by exercising their due diligence to always remove their keys, lock their cars and report any suspicious activity at 732-462-7500.”