The N.J. AG says that thefts are on the rise…no kidding!
Five men in New Jersey are responsible for trafficking $600k worth of stolen cars, involving at least a dozen stolen vehicles. The charges were handed down as a part of the state expansion on combating vehicle thefts. Most of the thefts are attributed to owners leaving their keys inside their cars.
“The biggest spike in car thefts involves luxury vehicles like the Land Rovers, BMWs, and other stolen cars allegedly trafficked by these defendants. We will continue to devote the resources necessary to investigate and prosecute car thieves and protect the public from this growing threat,” Acting Attorney General Matthew Platkin said in a statement.
One of these vehicles was a 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, stolen outside of a restaurant, with the keys inside. This vehicle is said to be worth about $90k. A Dodge Charger was also recovered when a search warrant was executed, along with a handgun, illegal capacity magazine, and fentanyl that were located at an auto body shop in Newark that is owned by one of the criminals.
“These defendants allegedly sought out luxury car owners for their own financial gain, but as a result of the collaborative efforts by our detectives and task force partners, we were able to put an end to this high-end auto-theft ring,” Col. Patrick Callahan, the superintendent of the State Police, said in a statement.
Data from 2021 shows there's been a major pickup from 2020, but we'd like to see it compared to 2019.
