Friday the 13th Unlucky for Coventry Area Residents

Friday the 13^th isn’t really unlucky, but it must have felt that way to three residents in the Coventry neighborhood who woke up to find their cars had been stolen overnight, Det. Sgt. Anthony Dippold said.

Unlocked cars are to blame for the auto thefts here and a rash of stolen and burgarlized cars in neighboring Millburn, police said.

The thieves rummage through unlocked cars looking for valet keys, Dippolid said. Electronic key fobs are also to blame, as newer models with start buttons can be activated if the key fob in a home is place close enough to the vehicle.

That may have been the case with the first car -- a 2010 Lexus IS 250 -- reported stolen from a driveway on Nottingham Drive in Livingston sometime between 11 p.m. Thursday and 5 a.m. Friday, Dippold said. Personal items, including a wallet and credit cards were also reportedly inside the car.

The Lexus had a tracking system and police were able to recover the Lexus on First Street in Newark, Dippold said.

At 7:30 a.m. Friday, a resident on Coventry Road reported a 2006 Lincoln Zep missing from the driveway. The owner wasn’t sure if the car had been locked. Also on Coventry, a second resident reported a 1998 Volvo taken from the driveway. The owner said the door had been left unlocked and a key was inside the vehicle. Those cars have not been found.

Dippold reminded residents of the precautionary measures that can minimize your chances of becoming the victim of auto theft. The most basic: Never leave any keys in the glove compartment or ignition and always roll up your windows and lock the car.