Bergen To Do More To Curb Car Thefts With New $400K Grant: Officials

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — The local sheriff's office is receiving a $400,000 state grant to fund technology expected to help combat auto theft, a release said.

The grant will help the Bergen County Sheriff's Office fund automated license plate recognition (ALPR) technology at fixed locations within its jurisdiction, New Jersey attorney general Matthew Platkin said.

The news comes only a few months after a nearly $1 million federal investment was announced for the purchase of security cameras for Bergen County roads and parks, Patch reported.

The funding for the ALPRs will be a "critical component" in the state's strategy to combat auto theft; in fact, the tech had led to a 16% reduction in the number of vehicles stolen statewide from September 2022 through March 2023, the AG's office said.

Gov. Phil Murphy announced in April 2022 he would invest $10 million in federal American Rescue Plan funding for the tech. Some of those funds (that which was not allocated to state police) were made accessible through a competitive grant process open to all law enforcement agencies in the state.

"Reducing auto thefts across New Jersey is a top priority," AG Platkin said, "and thanks to (the Murphy administration), we are investing millions of dollars to provide law enforcement officers with the tools they need to protect residents, make communities safer, and save lives."

The local sheriff's office is one of 34 law enforcement agencies, including borough police in Wallington (which received $86,000), throughout the state that will receive funding for the automated license plate readers.

The technology, the AG's office said, uses "high-speed, automated camera networks to capture and store images of license plates," and assists in identifying, locating and recovering stolen vehicles. It also helps in the interruption of auto theft networks and in the apprehension of "individuals involved in vehicle theft and other violent crimes."

“We know that car thefts on their own are bad enough, but they are also used to commit other, violent crimes," AG Platkin said. "By equipping law enforcement with (this) technology, we are sending a clear message of deterrence against committing auto thefts.”

Providing the technology to law enforcement, his office said, follows the AG's "commitment" to reducing auto thefts across the state.

“As we address the ongoing wave of auto theft in our state, it is important that we equip law enforcement with the tools they need to identify and catch these bad actors,” Gov. Murphy said. “We have witnessed the success that the automated license plate readers have played in (combatting crime), and we are committed to further investing in this cause until the number of auto thefts in our state hit zero.”

Just last year, Bergen County, also in response to a spike in vehicular theft, had launched the "Bergen Beeps" initiative to share safety tips with motorists on how to secure their cars. Car thefts locally, Patch reported, had increased by 54% in 2022 alone.

"Together, we can stop vehicle break-ins," County Executive Jim Tedesco said at the time.

Funding decisions for this new state investment in ALPRs were made to ensure the "broadest and deepest levels" of service coverage practicable, the AG's office said.

“The funding to expand ALPR technology throughout the state will be pivotal in our effort to combat (auto theft)," said Col. Patrick Callahan, superintendent of the New Jersey State Police — which received a portion of the investment to deploy ALPRs along major state roadways.