Car Thefts Went Up 50 Percent In 2021 In Warren Township

WARREN, NJ — Warren Township, just like the rest of Somerset County and the state, is seeing a spike in car thefts and burglaries.

"Unfortunately stolen vehicles and vehicle burglaries are an ongoing problem throughout the state," Warren Police Chief William Keane told Patch.

In 2021, the township reported a 50 percent increase over 2020 in stolen cars, a 10.7 percent decrease in motor vehicle(MV) burglaries and a 566 percent increase in attempted MV burglaries.

Here is a breakdown of the statistics in Warren:

2020

• Stolen Vehicles - 8
• Vehicle Burglaries - 28
• Attempted Vehicle Burglaries - 3

2021

• Stolen Vehicles - 12
• Vehicle Burglaries - 25
• Attempted Vehicle Burglaries - 20

2022 (year to date)

• Stolen Vehicles - 4
• Vehicle Burglaries - 4
• Attempted Vehicle Burglaries - 1

Most of these crimes are linked to residents leaving their vehicles unlocked and/or with the keys inside.

The increase in car thefts is not isolated to Warren, as Somerset County, NJ also reported that car thefts were up 22 percent in 2021.

New Jersey also reported a "serious" spike in motor vehicle thefts, Acting Attorney General Matthew Platkin announced March 4. Read More: 'Serious' Spike In NJ Car Thefts, AG Warns

In 2021, there were a total of 14,320 cars stolen in New Jersey, a 22 percent increase from 2020, according to State Police data.

To combat the crime surge, Platkin said he is adding more detectives and prosecutors to the state's Auto Theft Task Force, as well as bringing on board additional police departments from suburban towns across the state. Police officers from Westfield, Warren, Bernards, Middletown and Paramus are already part of the Auto Theft Task Force. These are suburban towns that typically see a high number of car thefts every year.

"While we continue to do everything we can to thwart these incidents, by proactive patrolling and assigning a detective to the New Jersey State Police Auto Theft Task Force, we continue to remind residents to lock their vehicles and remove the keys/fobs," said Keane.

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