Stolen Chatham Car Used For Other Crimes In Morris County, Police Say

CHATHAM, NJ — A car stolen from a Chatham Borough home was used in two additional crimes in Montville, according to the Chatham Borough Police Department.

Police stated that on Saturday, between midnight and 8:30 a.m., a white 2023 Audi Q3 was stolen from a home on Fairmount Avenue.

The victim told police that the car was left unlocked with the keys inside.

The vehicle was later determined to have been involved in a home burglary and another car theft in Montville.

The investigation will be continued by numerous municipal law enforcement organizations as well as the New Jersey State Police due to the gravity of the crimes, the police said.

"Our township has easy access to several major highways, which makes getting in and out very easy. Our patrol division works extremely hard to act as a deterrent while our detectives work tirelessly to follow up on crimes that do occur," Montville police said.

Another car theft was also reported in the borough on Sunday, when, at 10:30 a.m., a 2024 black Mercedes-Benz was stolen from Main Street, authorities said.

According to police, the victim got out of her car to look for missing items when the suspect, who was wearing a hoodie, entered the driver's side, started the car because the key fob was inside, and fled the scene. Before the suspect escaped, the victim was able to grab her purse in the front seat.

The police are reminding everyone to secure their homes and vehicles and to immediately notify the police of any suspicious individuals or circumstances.

*This article has been updated with new information from the Chatham Borough Police Department. The original release indicated the vehicle was running when it was stolen; however, it was determined that the vehicle was not running but the doors were unlocked and the key fob was inside as the owner was looking close to the vehicle for some lost property.