Middletown Township Police Department
Point of Contact: Deputy Chief Paul Bailey - (732) 615-2066
For Immediate Release: December 19, 2022
Middletown, NJ – During the early morning hours of December 18, 2022, Middletown Twp. Police responded to four reports of burglaries, attempted burglaries and thefts occurring in the Oak Hill and Lincroft sections of the township.
At approximately 3:55a.m., male suspects attempted to steal a vehicle that was parked in a driveway at a residence in Bamm Hollow Estates, in Lincroft. Additionally, the suspects were observed on home security cameras entering the garage through a garage window, in an attempt to take another vehicle that was parked inside. The actors were unable to steal either vehicle. Less than one hour later, suspects entered a residence in the Four Winds neighborhood in the Oak Hill section of the township. While the suspects were inside the house, the homeowner confronted them and they ran to a waiting vehicle and fled the area.
Shortly thereafter, the suspects attempted to steal a vehicle that was parked in a driveway of a residence located off Dwight Road in the Oak Hill section. After that attempt was unsuccessful, the actors went to the house next door. At this location, the actors entered through a garage window and then entered the home, which activated the security alarm. Hearing the alarm, the resident investigated the cause and confronted the suspects, who were inside the house. The suspects fled the home but were able to steal the vehicle in the driveway, a 2022 Land Rover.
The crime of auto theft is, unfortunately, a widespread and interjurisdictional problem that has been occurring in numerous towns throughout Monmouth County. Additionally, the actors in these incidents are becoming more brazen in their efforts to steal these high value vehicles. The Middletown Twp. Police take these crimes very seriously and do everything we can to protect the residents of Middletown and their property. Chief Weber, seeing the need to proactively address these crimes, has assigned an officer to the New Jersey State Police Auto Theft Task Force for the last three years. This assignment proved vital in these incidents. Information about the stolen vehicle gathered at the scene was quickly relayed to the Task Force. This facilitated the recovery of the vehicle within a couple of hours of the incident.
The Middletown Police Department thanks the public for their continued vigilance and support. The public is asked to be mindful to always remove any key fobs and ensure that their vehicles are locked. Additionally, homeowners should make sure that the doors and windows to the house are locked, the garage doors are closed, and any home security system and alarm is turned on at night or if away from the home. Last, the residents are asked to immediately report any suspicious activity to the police.
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