Westfield Police Spotted Attempted Car Burglary

WESTFIELD, NJ — Westfield police have been warning about car burglaries, but last week police on patrol nearly caught one in the act.

On Tuesday, an officer on patrol on Highland Avenue at 12:52 a.m. noticed a Land Rover stopped in the middle of the road and a person running from a nearby driveway into the car, according to the mayor's office. When the officer went to stop the car, it sped off onto Route 22.

"It appears the suspects were targeting a car in the driveway of a residence on the 800 block of Highland Avenue for theft when the officer approached," the mayor's office said. Police later determined that the Land Rover was reported stolen from New York City.

On that same night, a resident on Alden Avenue spotted a car parked in the middle of the street in front of his home and someone inside his Mercedes Benz E-Class convertible, rummaging through its interior passenger side glove box, according to the mayor's office.

The resident approached the person in his car — the person shoved him and jumped into the passengers side of the car parked in the street and took off.

The mayor's office warned about car burglaries, noting that unlocked cars are being targeted.

"As Chief Battiloro has repeatedly reported, unlocked high-end vehicles are being targeted for burglary and theft. Suspects will usually exit accompanying vehicle(s), approach target vehicles on foot, and then pull on their door handles. If the vehicles are unlocked, suspect(s) will enter and attempt to start and steal them. In just about all documented instances, the accompanying vehicle(s) are also stolen. Chief Battiloro strongly urges residents not to ever confront perpetrators, but rather immediately report incidents to the police via 9-1-1," the mayor's office said.