Montclair Sees Wave Of Car Thefts, ‘Suspicious Incidents’: Police

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Montclair recently saw a wave of vehicle thefts, attempted thefts, burglaries and other “suspicious incidents” involving cars, authorities reported Tuesday.

According to the Montclair Police Department, the following incidents were reported in the township.

• Dec. 23 - (Valley Road) A 2018 Toyota Highlander reported stolen from Elizabeth was recovered, parked and unoccupied, in the parking deck to Valley/Bloom.
• Dec. 25 - (Lackawanna Plaza) A 2013 silver BMW i328 was stolen from Lackawanna Plaza. The complainant reported that he was inside of Popeyes and when he exited the vehicle was gone. The vehicle was recovered unoccupied on Heller Parkway in Newark on Dec. 26.
• Dec. 26 - (Montclair Avenue) A resident reported that his 2018 Audi Q7 was stolen from in front of his home. The victim was in the process of loading his vehicle with luggage and the key fob was inside one of the bags. This vehicle was recovered by Clifton police on Dec. 27.
• Dec. 26 - (Bloomfield Avenue) The victim reported that his 2000 Jeep Cherokee, silver in color, was stolen from the TD Bank parking lot. The vehicle was stolen any time between Dec. 12 and the time it was reported. After being reported stolen, it was recovered in Jersey City on Jan. 2.
• Dec. 27 - (Marquette Road) The resident reported that his 2019 Volvo S60 was stolen from his driveway. A Volvo app on his phone showed the time of theft to be 2:20 a.m. The vehicle was reportedly unlocked.
• Dec. 27 - (Valley Road) A 2005 Subaru Forrester was stolen from a driveway on Valley Road during the overnight hours. The vehicle was left unlocked with the keys fob inside. The owners were able to locate the vehicle on their own, parked and unoccupied, on Mission Street later in the day.
• Dec. 28 - (Bloomfield Avenue) The complainant reported that his vehicle was entered at some point between midnight and 1 a.m. A wallet containing credit cards and a purse were reported stolen. An unknown person attempted to use one of the stolen cards at CVS in Cedar Grove at 4 a.m.

Montclair police said the following “suspicious incidents” involving vehicles were also recently reported in the township.

• Dec. 24 - (Emerson Place) A resident of Emerson Place reported observing two males walking down his street attempting to open door handles of several parked cars. When confronted, they ran east on Emerson Place and then south on Valley Road. They were described as two males in their teens, approximately 5 feet 8 inches, wearing all black with black Adidas pants.
• Dec. 25 - (Lloyd Road) A resident reported that she observed an unknown male attempting to enter her vehicle while it was parked in her driveway. The suspects arrived in a Dodge Durango. The victim pressed the panic button on her key fob which caused the suspects to flee in the Durango. A responding officer located the Durango and a silver BMW fleeing the scene east on Bloomfield Avenue at a high rate of speed. The officer attempted to stop the vehicles but they refused, travelling into Glen Ridge. It was later determined the BMW was the vehicle stolen from Lackawanna Plaza, prior to it being reported stolen.
• Dec. 27 - (Christopher Street) Officers patrolling the area of Christopher Street and Montclair Avenue due to the increase in car thefts observed a 2018 Audi Q7 reported stolen the previous day parked in the middle of the street with its lights off. A male was seen running from a driveway and entered the passenger side of the Audi which fled towards Grove Street. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, however, it refused and continued west on Bloomfield Avenue and north on Valley Road. Officers lost sight of the vehicle as it entered Clifton.

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