Crime & Safety
Fifteen Cars Burglarized in Ocean Acres Last Week: Investigation Continues
Barnegat police not releasing new details on Ocean Acres car burglaries
According to the Barnegat Police, approximately 15 cars were burglarized on the night of Tuesday, March 27 in the Barnegat section of Ocean Acres.
"The burglaries occurred in the area of Chance Drive and surrounding streets," said Lt. Keith Germain, police department's spokesman. "We urge residents to lock their cars. These types of offenses are crimes of opportunity. We have not had a single instance yet of property being removed from a locked vehicle."
Police are not releasing any other details of the investigation at this time.
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Most residents of the area where the incidents occurred heard no noise and saw nothing out of the ordinary last Tuesday night, except maybe a neighbor’s dog barking. Most said they were surprised when they saw police vehicles up and down their quiet streets the following morning.
“My husband said he heard a noise around 12:30 p.m.,” said Brenda Andersen, 38, who lives on Hopper Drive. “And I said, ‘well, maybe they just opened the car, saw nothing and walked away.”
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Andersen, a busy mother of three, said she often forgets to lock her car.
“I think a lot of people are kind of complacent,” she said, adding that many police officers live on and around these streets, which makes people feel especially secure. “They leave their garage open all day.”
Andersen said there were no valuables in her vehicle, and it was not burglarized that night.
“I’ll always be making sure I lock it from now on, though,” she added.
Michael Triano, 51, who lives on Chance Drive nearby, said he thinks he locked his car that night.
“It’s supposed to lock by itself,” Triano said. “They broke into my car, but they didn’t take anything.”
“I got a feeling it was just kids,” said Scott Jankowski, who lives on Farragut Avenue. “Because I don’t think the cars were damaged or broken into. I don't think it was anyone local to our area. Everyone around here feels like they know each other, and they leave their cars unlocked, and this is what happens.”
Andersen of Hopper Drive said she did not think it was just kids, however.
"I don't think a bunch of children -- 17 and 18-year-olds -- could do this in one night, do you?" Andersen said.
