3 Stolen Cars, 5 Car Burglaries In Princeton Monday: Police

PRINCETON, NJ — Princeton police are currently investigating three car thefts and five car burglaries that occurred between midnight and 7 a.m. Monday morning.

A 2017 Toyota Highlander and a 2015 Mercedes Benz ML2 were both taken from the driveway of a home on Finley Road, police said Monday night. Additionally, a silver 2009 Audi A6 was stolen from the driveway of a home on Allison Street. The keys had been left inside of each of the stolen cars.

A Mount Laurel Road resident reported two car burglaries, and two more were reported by a Coniston Court resident. Rounding things out was a car burglary on Hunter Road. In all three car thefts and all five car burglaries, the doors were unlocked.

“A common practice for thieves is to drive through neighborhoods and simply walk up to various vehicles and physically check to see if they are locked,” police said in a statement Monday night. “If a vehicle is locked they will move on to the next until they find one unlocked. Breaking a car window in a quiet neighborhood is a good way to get caught. So thieves avoid the noise by picking out unlocked cars.”

Police advise that locked cars and cars with no keys in them can and do deter thieves. Police can will act on suspicious activity when they come upon it or it is reported, but a properly secured vehicle is the last line of defense against someone who simply approaches a car unnoticed.

Anyone who heard or saw anything in relation to the aforementioned crimes is asked to contact the Princeton Police Department at 609-921-2100. Police have increased patrols, and all of these incidents remain under investigation.

Patch file photo