Car Stolen, Several Others Burglarized Same Day: Manalapan Police

MANALAPAN, NJ — Two days before Christmas, residents' cars were in the sights of people burglarizing or attempting to burglarize several autos - and stealing one car worth $48,000, police here reported.

On Dec. 23, a resident reported that at about 4:30 a.m., someone stole an unlocked vehicle that had the key fob inside from the driveway of an Old Queens Boulevard residence, Capt. Leonard Maltese reported. Patrolman Peter Pagano took the report, and the incident is being investigated.

Meanwhile, in the early morning hours of the same day, Dec. 23, seven reports were made by residents of people entering their cars or attempting to enter their cars to burglarize them:

• At about 2:30 a.m., someone entered two unlocked vehicles that were parked in the driveway of a Thoreau Drive residence and removed items valued at $20.
• At about 3 a.m., someone entered unlocked vehicles parked at a Whitman Boulevard residence. There were no items reported to be missing.
• At about 3 a.m., someone entered unlocked vehicles parked at another Whitman Boulevard residence. There were no items reported to be missing.
• At about 3:20 a.m., someone tried to gain entry to vehicles parked at a Kipling Way residence. No entry was made because the cars were locked.
• At about 3:30 a.m. someone tried to enter a car parked at a Beth Drive residence, but it was locked and no entry was made.
• At about 3:30 a.m., someone gained entry to three unlocked vehicles parked at another Beth Drive residence. No items were reported to be missing.
• At about 3:30 a.m. someone entered an unlocked vehicle parked in the driveway of a Danielle Drive residence. No items were reported to be missing.

Police regularly remind residents to keep cars locked overnight and remove the key fob to a safe place in the home - and to make sure entry areas to the home are locked. Police also recommend not leaving valuable items in cars overnight.