Spike In Home Burglaries With Sleeping Residents Inside, Westfield Cops Warn

WESTFIELD, NJ — Burglars are becoming more brazen as they are entering Westfield homes with residents sleeping inside to steal vehicles parked in the driveways, warns Westfield Police Chief Christopher Battiloro.

On Friday morning, there were two home burglaries that led to the theft of vehicles.

At around 6:25 a.m. Friday morning, a home burglary was reported on Tamaques Way in which a 2023 BMW X7 was stolen, said Battiloro.

Suspects were able to get into the home through an unlocked rear door, according to the responding officers’ investigation.

While investigating this burglary, the responding officers learned of a second home burglary that occurred nearby, also on Tamaques Way, in which a 2023 Land Rover Range Rover and a 2021 BMW X7 were stolen, said Battiloro.

In this home, a side window was forced open, according to police.

Both of these burglaries and vehicle thefts appear to have happened just before 6 a.m. on Aug. 4, said Battiloro.

These burglaries follow another home burglary and theft of a 2019 Audi Q7 that happened on July 26 at around 1:49 a.m. on the 600 block of Prospect Street.

An officer on patrol saw the Audi exiting a driveway at an extremely high rate of speed without any of its lights activated, said police.

The officer believed it was stolen and chased the Audi through residential neighborhoods until stopping the pursuit at Route 22 East in Mountainside, said Battiloro.

It seems an unlocked rear door to the Prospect Street home was how the suspect got inside, said Battiloro.

"There is no doubt these homes were targeted for the vehicles parked in their driveways," said Battiloro, who added that sleeping residents were inside all of these homes when the burglaries happened.

Multiple home and car burglaries were also reported last week: Burglar Climbs Through Window With Westfield Homeowner Inside: Cops

"The Westfield Police Department has been working feverishly to combat this ongoing vehicle theft problem," Battiloro said. "This includes the implementation of License Plate Reader (LPR) technology to target police patrols and the employment of increased patrol tactics, as well as engaging in complex criminal investigations involving our law enforcement partners at the New Jersey State Police Auto Theft Task Force, aimed at targeting this crime problem at a much higher level."

Battiloro is cautioning residents and urging them to take all reasonable precautions, such as:

• Locking doors to vehicles and homes at all hours of the day
• Activating burglar alarms – especially during the overnight hours
• Keeping properties well-lit during hours of darkness

Battiloro and Mayor Shelley Brindle are scheduled to meet with Union County Prosecutor William Daniel in the coming days, along with mayors and police chiefs in several other Union County municipalities, to discuss the ongoing issue of car thefts and their impact on public safety.

"While the recent laws passed at the state level strengthening car theft penalties are a good first step, there is more work to be done," said Battiloro. "Police departments around the state continue to do their part to protect the communities they serve, but we also need swift and appropriate prosecutions and consequences to hold these repeat criminals accountable. We look forward to working together with the Union County Prosecutor’s Office to achieve much-needed progress on these fronts."

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