Car Theft Punishments May Increase In NJ Under New Bills

PARAMUS, NJ— Amid a rise in car thefts statewide, a New Jersey state senator hopes to put stiffer punishments for thieves into law.

Senator Joseph Lagana (D-38) introduced two bills Thursday. These bills would upgrade the severity of automobile theft charges and impose harsher penalties for carjackings and automobile thefts.

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

“When a person’s car is stolen, it wreaks havoc on their daily routine on top of the financial and emotional distress caused by such a personal violation," said Lagana, who represents Bergen and Passaic counties. "In New Jersey, the vast majority of residents depend on their cars to get back and forth to work, to get their kids to school, or to go wherever they need to be. One way to help curtail car thefts is to make sure would be criminals know that justice will be swift and severe."

In 2021, there were a total of 14,320 cars stolen in New Jersey, a 22 percent increase from 2020, according to State Police data. Law enforcement departments across the Garden State have been urging residents to lock their car doors and secure their keys.

“This is not just a New Jersey problem, but it is a big problem in New Jersey,” Lagana said. “I urge all residents to be vigilant with locking their cars and protecting key fobs, but it is also critical that we fight car theft and make jacking punishments that fit the crime."

The first bill Lagana introduced upgrades motor vehicle theft from a third-degree crime to a second-degree crime.

A third-degree crime is punishable by 3 to 5 years imprisonment, up to a $15,000 fine, or both. A second-degree crime is up to 5 to 10 years imprisonment, up to a $150,000 fine, or both.

The second bill permits a penalty for carjackers up to $15,000 plus the value of the stolen vehicle and its contents, if the value is more than $5,000 and the vehicle is not found.

Owners of high-end vehicles (newer vehicles with a sticker prices of $50,000 and up) are even more at risk: In North Jersey, high-end motor vehicle thefts increased 127 percent from January 31, 2021 to January 31 of this year, according to the Attorney General.

The most commonly stolen luxury cars are BMW X6, Land Rover Range Rover Sport, Audi Q5 and BMW X3.

The top vehicles stolen statewide so far in 2022 include Honda Accord, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Honda CR-V, BMW X5 and BMW 3-Series, said State Police.

State Police also said they are particularly looking at what they call New Jersey's CorrStat Region, a 19-mile stretch of Rt. 21 that connects Paterson and Newark. There are 80 northeast New Jersey towns in that CorrStat Region, including Newark.

In 2021, the CorrStat Region accounted for 63 percent of the state's total motor vehicle thefts. And car theft in that region is up 31 percent so far in 2022, said State Police.

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.