Madison Sees Uptick In Stolen Cars: Police Issue Warning

MADISON, NJ — As counties throughout New Jersey have seen an increase in vehicle thefts, the Madison Police Department would like to remind all residents to be cautious when leaving their cars parked.

Madison police advise residents to remove key fobs and personal items and to keep their vehicles locked when parked outside their homes.

State data reported 14,320 stolen cars in 2021 in New Jersey — a 22 percent increase over the prior year.

Read more: 'Serious' Spike In NJ Car Thefts, AG Warns

To combat the crime surge, Acting Attorney General Matthew Platkin said he is adding more detectives and prosecutors to the state's Auto Theft Task Force, as well as bringing on board additional police departments from suburban towns across the state.

If a resident witnesses a potential theft, they are cautioned not to confront the suspect but to provide the location of the incident, description of the assailant, vehicle description and license plate number to the police.

Thank you for reading! Have a news tip, correction or comment? Email vianella.burns@patch.com. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter here.