Juvenile Car Thefts Addressed By State Legislator At Madison Meeting

MADISON, NJ — Police Chief John Miscia and State Senator Anthony Bucco spoke at a recent borough council meeting about a massive statewide string of car thefts that have impacted New Jersey communities in recent years.

Sens. Richard Codey (D-27) and Anthony Bucco (D-25) held a news conference earlier this year to introduce bipartisan legislation that they say will give law enforcement new tools to combat "an epidemic of car thefts, often organized by gangs that prey on at-risk juveniles."

The proposed bill would expand penalties for those stealing or receiving vehicles, as well as those who recruit juveniles to do so.

The Madison Governing Body passed a resolution in support of this legislation.

"It has reached a crisis point. We are on track to probably exceed 17,000 vehicle thefts this year. Last year we had 14,000. They are increasing year over year at 20 percent or more thefts and this is not a suburban issue it's not an urban issue, it is happening all over the state," Bucco said.

According to Bucco, it is up to lawmakers to take corrective action in order to provide law enforcement with the tools they require when suspects are placed under arrest. "The legislation that Senator Cody and I worked on and ultimately filed would do just that."

The legislation focused on juveniles because, according to Bucco, they discovered that gangs and car theft enterprises are going to these juveniles and recruiting them to steal the car because they discovered that there is no consequence for a first or second offense.

He likened it to the drug epidemic, saying that if penalties for juvenile car theft remain lax, they will be drawn back into what could be a life of crime.

Any juvenile convicted of car theft will receive 60 days of community service for the first offense and 60 days of detention for the second offense under this resolution.

"If they go to the driveway and can't find a key they are checking your front door, they are breaking a window, they're coming in because people often leave their keys right by the front door. Sooner or later we are going to have an incident in a home between one of these perpetrators and a homeowner," Bucco said.

According to Chief John Miscia, the Madison Police Department has increased patrols in areas where thefts are common, stopping suspicious people and notifying residents if they discover an unlocked door or a window that has been left open.

Madison has also installed 12 license plate readers in unspecified locations to aid in identification.

"I know you hear it a lot, but remove your key fobs and garage door openers from your vehicles. Lock your doors to your cars, lock your doors to your houses and close your garage doors. Be vigilant to report suspicious activity," Miscia said.

According to Miscia, a Madison resident called the police on Friday to report three males pulling on car door handles near the Madison plaza. "A passerby saw that and contacted us immediately and we were able to apprehend the individuals."

Residents are cautioned not to approach perpetrators directly and to assume they are armed and possibly dangerous.