Police Dept. Urges Residents to Be Car-Smart

Since the beginning of the year, Bergen County has seen a dramatic increase in the number of luxury auto thefts in communities that generally experience very few incidents of that type.

According to Lt. John Bakelaar, of the Franklin Lakes Police Dept., the borough has had six such thefts since August. The thefts have occurred during the early morning hours, between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., Bakelaar stated.

The police department has been meeting with other law enforcement agencies on the state, county and local level during the course of these investigations. The thieves are professional, and typical theft prevention devices such as Lojack, car alarms and trackable GPS units, have not been successful, Bakelaar said.

"As a point of fact, technology currently exists that enables potential thieves to scan for the radio frequency emitted by certain key fobs used in newer automobiles by simply driving down a street," Bakelaar said in a statement. Key fobs left in a vehicle parked in the driveway or garage are easily detected by thieves looking for a target vehicle.

"It is yet to be determined if, in fact, that technology was used in any of the thefts. But it does exist and residents should be aware of its existence," he said.

The police department recommends that the following precautions be taken to secure your automobile:

• Vehicles should be parked in a locked garage when possible. The vehicle keys should not be left in the vehicle, but taken into the house. There have been instances where unlocked cars with keys in the ignition or interior compartment have been taken from the garage. The thieves used the garage door opener from an unlocked vehicle parked in the driveway to access the garage.
• Vehicles parked in the driveway should be locked and the keys taken into the house.
• Valuables should not be left in the vehicle.

Residents should immediately alert the police to any suspicious activity they may observe, Bakelaar added.