Four Arrested For Trying to Steal Cars in Westfield: Police

Westfield, NJ -- Four people were arrested for opening unlocked cars and looking for keys to steal the vehicle in Westfield, Police Chief David Wayman announced Monday.

There has been a spike in high-end car thefts around New Jersey. Four cars were stolen in Bernardsville on May 10.

Three men were caught on camera burglarizing cars in Clark on May 1. Watch the video HERE.

Westfield also experienced car thefts including a 2011 Infiniti QX56, worth $60,000, was stolen from a driveway in the 200 block of Munsee Way, a resident reported on May 18 at 7:34 a.m.

A four week long investigation into the car thefts by the Westfield Police Department came to close on Sunday, May 22 at 3 a.m.

Police found Alonda Harris 18, Tashawn Beckford 19, Alfaahir Williams 18, and Bilal Cureton 26, all from Newark stopped in a Jeep in the the 400 block of Quantuck Lane - which is near to where the vehicles thefts had been taken along with several car burglaries, Wayman reported.

During the stop, police found two black ski masks, several pairs of gloves, flashlights, and other burglary tools.

"It was discovered the individuals had been entering open vehicles to locate keys for the vehicles," Wayman said. "The individuals appeared to be working as part of organized group which were utilizing GPS to map the locations of potential target vehicles."

Police also recovered stolen property from the city of Newark valued in excess of $150,000, according to Wayman.

All four were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit theft of a motor vehicle.

Cureton was additionally charged with Hindering an Investigation and had several outstanding warrants for his arrest.

The four also may be linked to several motor vehicle burglaries in Mountainside and Clark.

Harris, Beckford and Williams were each released on a summons; Cureton was remanded to Union County Jail on $50,000 bail.