Double Vehicle Theft From Same Woodbridge Family; Mom Warns Others

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — A Port Reading resident reported that two motor vehicles were stolen from her family in the past three weeks, and that her neighbor's car was stolen as well.

Woodbridge Police Director Robert Hubner did not answer when Patch asked if he could confirm the car thefts. Mayor John McCormac also did not respond.

The woman lives on Vernon Way in Port Reading. Her name will not be revealed for this story to protect her identity. She said she just wants to share what her family experienced so Port Reading — and all Woodbridge Township residents — can be aware cars are being stolen.

She said on the night of June 26 her daughter's Hyundai Elantra was stolen from where it had been parked on the street. There is roadwork happening on Vernon Way, and her daughter could not park it directly in front of their house as she usually does — that night, she had to park the car a few doors down. She parked the car at about 9 p.m. that evening.

At 1:45 a.m. Woodbridge Police officers knocked on their door to report that the car had been stolen. The police said they found the car in Rahway, with four underage minors inside. The teens were arrested.

She said the teenagers smashed the Elantra's window to get inside, and they also "ripped apart" the dashboard to hotwire the car.

"Of course we have insurance, but we had to pay $250 to get her car window fixed and we had to pay for a rental; insurance only covers $30 a day for a rental car and that is not what rental cars cost around here," she said.

Then, just this past Sunday night, July 9, the same woman said her son's motorcycle was stolen, also from where it was parked on Vernon Street.

"He woke up at 5:30 a.m. to find his motorcycle gone," she said.

As of Friday, her son's motorcycle has not been recovered.

The woman said she also read on her Ring security camera that someone's Kia was stolen in this past week on Holly Street, which is two blocks away from where she lives. Woodbridge Police did not confirm that car theft, either.

"I just think the neighborhood should know what is going on so people can be aware of their surroundings and look for strangers," said the Port Reading woman. "I never see a cop around here. People have to know what's happening."