Helicopters, Police Chase Car Thieves In Summit

SUMMIT, NJ — Helicopters and patrol units from Summit and surrounding towns were dispatched early Friday morning to try and catch a group of car thieves.

Summit Police were patroling on Whittredge Road near Hobart Avenue at 2:40 a.m. on Dec. 2 after numerous cars were stolen, Summit Police Captain Steven Zagorski told Patch.

While there they came across a car idling with the rear door open and someone sitting in the driver's seat. When police pulled up to the car, two people came running down a driveway of a home towards the waiting car.

One of the suspects was able to hop in the car before it drove off leaving the other suspect to run away on foot.

The New Jersey State Police sent out a helicopter to search the area and surrounding town police departments also came out to help search for the car and the suspect on foot. Ultimately, police were unable to locate any of the suspects.

Zagorski noted police do have a video of the suspect getting into the car and "have an idea who they are."

"This group has been involved in car thefts in Essex County," Zagorski said.

A Nixle alert was sent out to residents alerting them to the police activity early this morning to urge them to lock their cars.

"I can not stress this enough," Zagorski said. "One hundred percent of the cars stolen out of town in the past three years - Every. Single. One. were unlocked with the keys in them. Please don't make it so easy for them."

Anyone with information on the incident or sees any suspicious activity can contact the Summit Police at (908) 273-0051.

(Image via Shutterstock)

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