MARLBORO — Two men and two women have been arrested as Marlboro Police Department officers remain on alert during the ongoing targeting of residents’ vehicles.
Police are continuing to remind residents to lock their vehicles at all times as a means of deterring would-be thieves.
In the most recent incident, Marlboro Police Capt. Stephen Levy reported that at 3 a.m. April 24, residents in the Woods development off Falson Lane and Ticetown Road in the Morganville section of the township dialed 911 and reported that unknown individuals were attempting to gain access into a vehicle.
Levy said the vehicle was locked and entry could not be gained. He said the individuals fled the Woods development and were located a short time later by Sgt. David Taglietta.
A motor vehicle stop was initiated and the individuals were arrested following an investigation by the officers on location, Levy said.
A 27-year-old female and a 30-year-old female, both of Newark, were each charged with attempted burglary and released on a summons.
A 31-year-old male and a 33-year-old male, both of Newark, were each charged with attempted burglary and hindering apprehension and were placed in the Monmouth County jail, Freehold Township, to await an initial court appearance.
Levy said the suspects’ vehicle was impounded and the investigation into the incident is continuing with the assistance of the police department’s Detective Bureau.
The captain said, “We would like to thank the residents who called and alerted us to this criminal activity. The Marlboro Police Department is working closely with surrounding municipal police agencies, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the New Jersey State Police Auto Theft Task Force to try and combat motor vehicle thefts that have been occurring throughout the state, but we cannot do it alone.
“We are asking all residents of Marlboro to lock their car doors, to remove their key fobs from their vehicles, to remove their garage door openers from their vehicles and to report suspicious activity to us immediately,” Levy said.
The News Transcript reached out to Mayor Jonathan Hornik for a comment and he responded, saying, “The recent arrests of the four individuals who were casing cars to steal in the Woods development demonstrates the exceptional work of Marlboro’s police department.
“We have asked all of our residents to follow this simple, but effective premise: ‘If you see something, say something, we will do something.’
“In this instance Marlboro residents called in a suspicious car traveling around a neighborhood at a strange time, in the early morning hours. It is their call to Marlboro police that triggered the appropriate police response which resulted in the arrests,” the mayor said.
“Marlboro remains one of the safest communities in New Jersey. The increase in car thefts in recent years is a direct result of criminals entering Marlboro and many surrounding Monmouth County communities who for the most part target cars whose owners left their keys or their key fobs in the car.
“We are urging all of our residents to please take their car keys and their key fobs into their homes and to lock all car doors to avoid any issues. I support the Marlboro police 100% in their efforts to keep Marlboro one of the safest towns in New Jersey.
“I have been in direct conversation with Gov. (Phil) Murphy and Attorney General (Matthew) Platkin about giving our police the necessary tools to combat this increase in car threats in our community. We anticipate an announcement by the Governor and the Attorney General shortly,” Hornik said.
