Nutley Cops: Keep Car Doors Locked, Recent Thefts Reported

Nutley, NJ – The Nutley Police Department has a simple message for local car owners… lock your doors.

“[Nutley Police Chief Thomas Strumolo] continues to warn residents to secure and lock their vehicles,” police spokesman Anthony Montanari stated in a news release last week.

“Unlocked vehicles have contributed to close to 50 thefts over the past several months, all of which could have been prevented if doors were locked,” Montanari wrote.

Montanari emphasized that local motorists should never leave valuables in a car where they can be observed.

In March, a suspect broke into 12 cars in the township in one night, authorities stated.

• See related article: Nutley Car Owners Beware: Thief Strikes 12 Vehicles In 1 Night

According to police, the following incidents took place on May 8:

• Kenzel Avenue – Officers responded to the area regarding a report of theft from a vehicle. Upon arrival, the victim stated that when they returned to their vehicle they observed the contents of the vehicle were tossed around, with several items found to be missing. The missing items included an iPad 2 valued at $600, a multi-purpose phone charger valued at $50 and a backpack with a name written on the back of it valued at $ 40. It is possible that the doors were left unlocked and there were no signs of forced entry. The Detective Bureau was advised of the incident.
• Kenzel Avenue – A homeowner reported that their vehicle was ransacked and items were taken from inside. Missing were a pair of female Ray Ban sunglasses with round frames, brown in color with gold trim valued at $130, and an iPhone 5 charger valued at $7. The victim believes they left their vehicle unlocked and there were no signs of forced entry observed. The Detective Bureau was advised.
• Chestnut Street – A Chestnut Street resident reported their brown messenger bag was taken from their unlocked vehicle. The bag was removed from the floor behind the driver’s seat and included an unknown brand laptop computer with power cords and an iPhone charger. No other items appeared touched or were taken from within the vehicle.

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Photo: Nutley police reported that equipment was stolen from the pictured van on Baltimore Street on May 3