Thieves Using App To Steal Cars: Chatham Twp Police

CHATHAM, NJ — In what appears to be part of a larger trend, a rash of car thefts and burglaries have hit Chatham Borough and Township, officials said-- and the thieves are using apps to pick their targets.

Chatham Township Police said the criminals are using apps to detect key fobs that have been left inside cars. The apps are powerful enough to find key fobs up to 400 feet away, police said, and can increase their odds of successfully stealing your car.

This isn't the first time the app has been used in North Jersey. A car theft ring operating out of Newark targeted cars in Sparta this summer using the same technology. Sparta police described the thieves as "professional criminals" at that time.

Officials said the cars have been stolen out of driveways in the Borough and surrounding towns recently. All of the stolen and burglarized cars had the key fob left inside of them. In addition to the thefts, several cars have had items stolen out of them, police said.

There has been a rash of luxury cars stolen in New Jersey recently, including a BMW in Chatham Borough and a 2017 Audi in Chatham Township Thursday morning. An unlocked Porsche was stolen in Warren on Sunday and a total of seven cars were also stolen recently in Monmouth County. An armed carjacking took place in Clark early Wednesday morning.

Police urge residents to lock their cars, remove persona items and take key fobs inside. Anyone with information about recent thefts is asked to contact the Chatham Borough Detective Bureau at 973-635- 8000.

• Read more: BMW Stolen Out Of Chatham Driveway

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