Ocean Twp. Police Issue Cautionary Statement after String of Car Burglaries

After a string of car burglaries in Ocean Township, law enforcement officials have issued a statement cautioning residents about protecting their vehicles and valuables.

According to Ocean Township Police Lieutenant Kevin Faller, the first wave of car burglaries occurred overnight between Sunday, June 12th and Monday, June 13th on Marshall Drive and William Lane in the Wayside section of Ocean Township. Then, in the early morning hours of Tuesday, June 14th, authorities were alerted of another series of burglaries, as multiple cars were targeted on Griffin and Wardell Places in the Wanamassa section.

Police said that the vehicles were left unlocked and thus, unsecured. Victims reportedly lost cash and other valuables during the burglaries. Officials are actively investigating these incidents and have warned residents to remove money, cell phones, GPS devices, and other items from their cars. They have yet to comment on whether or not they believe the burglaries are connected.

However, if one or more persons are identified and charged in connection with these incidents, they may be subject to serious penalties. Under N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2, burglary is considered a third-degree felony, unless the person is armed with a deadly weapon, injures, or attempts to injure anyone during the commission of the offense, in which case the charges are elevated to second-degree crimes.

In this case, the individual(s) would likely be charged with third-degree burglary, which entails a 3 to 5-year term of incarceration for those convicted. Notably, they could be sentenced to a prison term for each offense and required to serve these sentences consecutively if so determined by the court.

For additional information pertaining to this matter, access the following article: Ocean police warn of car burglaries