Rise In Home Burglaries To Steal Cars Reported In Hillsborough

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — Several car thefts and home burglaries were reported in Hillsborough recently prompting police to warn residents on Wednesday.

"The Hillsborough Police Department would like to remind residents to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities immediately in their neighborhoods due to recent criminal activity," said Chief Michael McMahon.

On Sept. 14 at around 5:42 a.m., suspects entered an unlocked vehicle on Mack Drive and opened the garage with a door opener that was left in the vehicle. They then stole an Audi that was parked in the garage. The same people also tried thefts or entered vehicles on Burniston Court and Kimble
Court the same night.

On Oct. 20 at around 5:01 a.m., a Kilmer Drive home had an attempted burglary where two people were trying to remove the screen from a garage window when they were interrupted by a homeowner and fled. They are believed to have been targeting the theft of a motor vehicle from the home.

On Oct. 25 at around 3:44 a.m., a residential burglary took place where the actors entered a home on Joshua Drive by shattering a rear sliding door and window. They removed the victim's keys and stole a BMW from the driveway.

These incidents remain under active investigation.

"These crimes along with motor vehicle theft have unfortunately become too common in this state, especially in suburban communities like ours," said McMahon. "Car thieves typically operate during the early morning hours dressed in dark clothing, and facemasks and use various methods to gain access to a residence in search of the vehicle's keys. They also travel from a great distance to target mostly high-end vehicles due to the high resale value overseas."

The Hillsborough Police reported similar incidents in April and May of this year.

On June 11, one juvenile boy and 5 adult men all from the Newark area were arrested and charged with 78 total counts of burglary, theft and theft of motor vehicles as a result of an
investigation and in cooperation with New Jersey State Police.

Three of those incidents occurred in Hillsborough Township and involved the theft of a Range Rover, Maserati, Porsche, and a Mercedes.

"Since these actors are generally always from outside the area, investigations do take time and cooperation from other agencies but residents should know that the Hillsborough Police Department is committed to finding those responsible and will exhaust all efforts to solve these cases," said McMahon.

Residents are also reminded of the following:

• Keep all vehicles locked and do not leave key fobs, garage door openers or valuables in plain view or in a vehicle overnight.
• Do not leave keys/ wallets/ purses near entry doors or windows
• Consider audible alarms, cameras and leaving outside lights on as a deterrent.

Residents will continue to see a high amount of patrol vehicles in their neighborhoods. McMahon asked residents not to hesitate to contact the Hillsborough Police through 911 or the non-emergency number 908-369-4323 to report any suspicious activity.

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