By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
Three vehicles were stolen in Ocean City in the early morning hours Thursday, marking the latest batch of auto thefts in a beach community that is experiencing an upward trend in stolen cars in the last two years.
A BMW, a Kia and a GMC Jeep were stolen from outside homes in the Merion Park and Waterway Road neighborhoods between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. A fourth vehicle, which had been stolen in Hammonton, was recovered in Ocean City, according to a news release.
Two juveniles were arrested in Egg Harbor Township in connection with the thefts. One of the stolen vehicles was recovered in Egg Harbor City and another was found in Galloway Township later on Thursday. The third stolen vehicle has not yet been recovered.
Ocean City spokesman Doug Bergen said the thefts remain under investigation, but they are not believed to be associated with a Newark-based auto theft ring that targeted luxury vehicles in Ocean City last year.
The latest thefts underscore the importance of owners locking their cars and never leaving the keys or key fobs inside, Bergen said.
“The thefts from this morning are still under investigation, so we can’t say yet whether or not each of those cars was left unlocked. But that was the case for many of the car thefts in the past couple years,” he said.
Ken Wisnefski, an Ocean City resident and owner of OCNJDaily.com, called on the city and Mayor Jay Gillian to be more transparent in publicizing what has become a significant increase in auto thefts in the resort in the last two years.
“As a year-round resident of Ocean City, I’m concerned by the drastic increase we have seen in car thefts over the past few years. Ocean City has a tremendous police force and I have a lot of respect for Chief Jay Prettyman. My issue is the lack of information that is being given to the public about these thefts,” Wisnefski said.
“I know that Mayor Gillian wants the perception to be that Ocean City is without flaw, and while I absolutely agree Ocean City is an amazing place to live and visit – the dynamic of Ocean City has evolved and there needs to be more transparency from public officials about the increase in theft that the city faces,” he added.
Wisnefski said that public awareness “builds more of a sense of community.”
“Neighbors looking out for each other can perhaps aid police in getting this issue under control,” he said. “No city is without its problems, but it’s important that the people know what they are faced with. We need Mayor Gillian to be more transparent. People can’t be left in the dark. For 15 years, my wife and I never looked to see if our cars were still there in the morning. Now, it’s the first thing I do every day.”
Statistics released by the city Thursday show that auto theft jumped in 2022 and continues to rise in 2023.
There were six stolen cars in 2018 and five in 2019. The number increased to 12 in 2020, but fell to just four in 2021.
For 2022, the number of stolen cars climbed to 14 and stands at 15 so far in 2023, the statistics show.
Bergen said the rise in the number of stolen cars in Ocean City represents “the continuation of a statewide trend of increased auto thefts.”
Hoping to curb a spike in car theft in New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a package of bills in July that stiffens the penalties for auto theft. The legislation targets the leaders of car theft rings and repeat offenders.
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.
Ocean City 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.
In the early morning hours of Sept. 21, 2022, Ocean City was targeted by the Newark-based theft ring when three high-end vehicles – two Mercedes G Wagons and an Audi S5 – were stolen from homes in the affluent Riviera neighborhood.
In each case, the thieves stole cars that were parked in the driveway, were unlocked, and still had the keys inside. At that time, Police Chief Jay Prettyman made a similar appeal to car owners to lock their vehicles and remove the key fobs.
More recently, a Volkswagen Jetta was stolen from Bridge Boulevard and an Acura MDX was taken from the unit block of Central Avenue in the upscale Gardens section of town in July. Both vehicles had their keys in them when they were stolen, police said.
Police believed that the Jetta and MDX were stolen by teenagers – not an organized auto theft ring – for rides to Atlantic City.
“I cannot stress enough to lock your car doors at night,” Prettyman said to the public after the auto thefts in July. “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.
