Man Tries, Fails To Steal Car On Christmas Day In Rumson: Police

RUMSON, NJ — An attempted car theft at about 11:30 a.m. on Christmas Day took place at a Sailers Way residence in the borough, police said Tuesday.

Police released information about that incident and also wanted to clear up a Jan. 9 social media post that "contained inaccuracies."

"It has come to our attention that a post to a Ring Neighbor's social media platform on January 9 contained inaccuracies regarding an incident, and we understand this may have caused concern among residents," the police said in a news release Tuesday.

Sgt. Christopher J. Isherwood of Rumson police said there was no incident this past weekend as referenced in the social media post.

Rather there was an attempted auto theft on Dec. 25, in which no one was harmed and no car from Rumson was stolen.

Isherwood explained the Dec. 25 event:

On that morning, the Rumson Police Department received a report of an attempted automobile theft in the area of Sailers Way.

According to the caller, while in his garage, he saw a man wearing a black puffer jacket, black ski mask, and black beanie attempting to open a vehicle parked in his driveway.

When the resident confronted the individual, the suspect reportedly pointed an unknown object toward him through his jacket pocket and instructed him to "go inside."

The resident "then retreated to his home to contact 911, at which point the suspect ran from the area and fled the scene in a white BMW SUV," the police report said.

Isherwood's report continued:

After receiving the resident's report, a Rumson patrol unit located the vehicle in the area of Rumson Road and Hance Road, but the suspect fled in the car at a high rate of speed into Little Silver.

A Shrewsbury Borough patrol unit was able to obtain the car's license plate number before it entered the Parkway North entrance in Middletown at a high rate of speed.

From the license information and after more investigation, it was learned the white BMW had been stolen from a residence in Bergen County earlier that same morning.

Later that day the BMW was involved in an incident where a firearm was discharged in Newark in Essex County. This incident is part of an ongoing investigation with Newark Police Department.

"We want to assure the community that the Rumson Police Department is actively investigating the matter and working closely with law enforcement partners. As always, we remind residents to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to the police immediately," police said in the report.