By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
Ocean City police are urging owners to lock their vehicles and remove the keys following the theft of a car and an SUV this week in the upscale Gardens section in the north end of town.
A Volkswagen Jetta was stolen from Bridge Boulevard last Sunday and an Acura MDX was taken from the unit block of Central Avenue on Thursday. Both had their keys in them when they were stolen, Police Chief Jay Prettyman said.
“I cannot stress enough to lock your car doors at night,” Prettyman said to the public. “Almost every vehicle that has been stolen from our town was found to be unlocked with the key fob inside.”
“Although Ocean City is an extremely safe community, we are not exempt from falling victim to individuals who prey on our residents and visitors,” he added.
At last word, police were looking at surveillance video in hopes of identifying and catching the car thieves. Prettyman said police believe they were teenagers who stole the car and SUV for rides to Atlantic City.
The Jetta was recovered by police in Atlantic City. The MDX was involved in a police chase in Haddonfield on Thursday night and was later spotted overnight in Atlantic City. Police were still working to recover the SUV, Prettyman said Friday.
Prettyman said no guns were involved with the car thefts this week. He also said they were not connected to an auto theft ring operating out of North Jersey that targeted luxury vehicles in Ocean City last year.
Ocean City was among the shore communities hit by the Newark-based car theft ring when three high-end vehicles were stolen during the early morning hours of Sept. 21, 2022.
In each case, the thieves stole cars that were parked in the driveway, were unlocked, and still had the keys inside. At that time, Prettyman made a similar appeal to car owners to lock their vehicles and remove the key fobs.
One homeowner on Mariana Lane in the affluent Riviera neighborhood had two 2021 Mercedes G Wagons stolen from his driveway in September by thieves dressed in dark clothing and wearing masks.
The third car stolen in September was a 2023 Audi S5. The Audi was stolen from a home on Spruce Road, just around the corner from where the two Mercedes G Wagons were taken on Mariana Lane.
Police said in September that Ocean City, Avalon, Stone Harbor, Atlantic City, Margate and Ventnor are among the shore communities that have been hit by auto theft rings.
Authorities said luxury vehicles stolen in New Jersey often are shipped overseas by auto theft rings through the Port of Newark or are used by gangs in drive-by shootings.
Hoping to curb a spike in car theft in New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a package of bills this month that stiffens the penalties for auto theft. The legislation targets the leaders of car theft rings and repeat offenders.
