By Allison Perrine
It’s a tale as old as time. Once the holiday season approaches, shopping centers and parking lots are suddenly flooded with traffic and patrons hopping from store to store in search of the perfect gift for loved ones.
And while it’s easy to get wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of it all, it’s important to keep vehicles, garages and homes locked to avoid falling victim to thieves – throughout the holiday season and year-round. We reached out to a few Two River police departments for suggestions on how to keep your purchases and property safe. “The biggest tool we have currently is for everybody to lock everything and don’t leave things visible in a car that would entice somebody,” said Rumson Borough Police Chief Scott Paterson. “And know where your fobs are every single night.” According to the Colts Neck Township Police Department, recently there has been “a steady increase” in vehicular thefts and burglaries in the municipality and surrounding areas. In the past six months, the department has responded to 12 stolen vehicles reports and 45 vehicular burglary reports; in all cases, the vehicles were either unlocked or had the keys or fobs inside. “Keys to residences as well as garage door openers left in unsecured vehicles may also be used to gain entry to your house, which has occurred multiple times in our town,” the department said. “The criminals committing these acts have no regard for the lives and safety of you, your families or our officers. These criminal acts are easily preventable by simply securing your vehicles and taking the keys inside the house. By leaving your vehicle unsecured, you are inviting criminals into your community and putting the community at risk. These criminal acts are crimes of opportunity and the people committing these crimes will return if they know vehicles are left unsecured.”
Red Bank Police Chief Darren McConnell said the department does not see “a significant increase in thefts during the holiday season,” but it does increase its patrols – mostly in shopping areas – to deter thefts and other crimes, he said. “In general, people should just be aware of their surroundings and take general precautions, such as parking in well-lit areas and keeping their phone readily accessible in the event of an emergency,” advised McConnell. “When possible, packages should be secured in the trunk area of a vehicle so that they are not visible and enticing to someone who may want to steal them. Of course, people should always lock their cars and be sure to have their key fob with them, not in the vehicle.” Middletown’s Deputy Police Chief Paul Bailey offered similar advice. He suggested that no valuable purchases be left in unattended vehicles if possible.“Most vehicles do not have privacy glass, which allows a criminal to notice the bag, box, and the possible contents,” he said. If packages must be left in the car, he advised that they be covered, placed in the trunk or that the shopper make frequent stops back home between trips to different stores so that purchases can be removed from the car and safely placed inside. Bailey also shared advice for those who opt to shop online this holiday season.
The Middletown Police Department sees “a moderate increase” in thefts of items delivered to homes and of packages in unattended vehicles during the holiday season. “Though there is no failsafe method to prevent these types of theft, there are best practices to avoid falling victim,” he said. That includes asking trusted neighbors or friends to keep an eye out for your packages when you’re not home and asking them to retrieve them so they are not left outside unattended for an extended period of time. Bailey also advises to leave exterior lights on to illuminate the driveway and porch area as well possible, and noted that door cameras “have proven to be good deterrents.”
McConnell offered similar advice and noted that this is a “significant issue” not only in Red Bank but everywhere. He advised that doorbell cameras are not only good deterrents but can also “provide police with investigative leads that are often helpful.” He suggested that residents consider signing up for text alerts when a package is delivered and have valuable packages retrieved from their porch or entryway as soon as possible after delivery. According to Paterson, Rumson has not experienced many package theft incidents but said it “certainly is happening” elsewhere. “It would be great if these companies didn’t leave things down by the mailbox down by the road,” he said. New Jersey State Police (NJSP) officials suggest individuals consider having packages shipped to their places of work, where someone would always be available to secure the item. Or take advantage of the newest option: Some online marketplaces like Amazon allow customers to ship packages to secure lockers for pickup at a convenient time.
The article originally appeared in the November 24 – December 1, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.
