Woodbridge Car Dealership Robbed Of 12 Cars, 139 Key Fobs

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — At a time when car theft is rampant across New Jersey, one Woodbridge car dealership had 12 cars and 139 key fobs stolen from it this winter.

This was announced in a Facebook post by Newark Police, who said they found three of the stolen cars, with the key fobs inside, parked on their city streets.

The car dealership is Woodbridge Car Revolution on Rt. 1 in Avenel.

Last Friday, newly sworn-in New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin was joined by the State Police to warn residents that the whole state is seeing a "serious spike in motor vehicle thefts."

Read that story: 'Serious' Spike In NJ Car Thefts, AG Warns (March 8)

In 2021, there were a total of 14,320 cars reported stolen in New Jersey, a 22 percent increase from the year before. Auto theft is particularly up 31 percent in the state’s so-called "CorrStat Region," which represents more than 80 towns in northeast New Jersey along the Rt. 21 corridor, including Newark.

This area accounts for 63 percent of the state’s total motor vehicle thefts, said State Police.

However, car thefts are happening all over New Jersey, in the suburbs as well as larger cities, says the AG. In January of this year, towns including Monroe, Edison, Franklin Township (Somerset County), Ocean Township, Oceanport and Hamilton Township reported motor vehicle thefts with subsequent burglaries into victims’ homes.

On Jan. 19, Newark Police said they observed three young men sleeping in a black 2015 Audi on the 100 block of Parker Street. The Audi turned out to be stolen from Car Revolution in Avenel, said police.

Police then located a second stolen car, also taken from Car Revolution, parked at Mapes and Weequahic avenues and a black Dodge Ram pick-up truck, also stolen, parked on the 300 block of South 12th Street.

A 15-year-old boy inside the car had key fobs to all three of the stolen cars. Newark Police searched the Dodge Ram and found the 139 stolen key fobs inside, according to Newark Public Safety Director Brian A. O’Hara. All the fobs came from Woodbridge Car Revolution.

Sharieff N. Copeland, 26, Ahjhir K. Jones, 18, and the teen, 15, were arrested and charged, said Newark Police.

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