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Westfield chief: most stolen vehicles left unlocked with key fobs; department pushes recoveries and targeted investigations
Summary
Chief Chris Battilora said many recent motor vehicle burglaries and thefts involved unlocked cars with key fobs, reported 26 motor-vehicle burglaries in 2021 and six thefts to date, and described coordination with the New Jersey State Police and decoy-car tactics to make arrests.
Westfield Police Chief Chris Battilora told a live forum that the town's recent surge in motor vehicle burglaries and thefts is largely driven by opportunistic behavior: in many cases vehicles were left unlocked and contained key fobs, making them easy targets.
"In almost every...instance, these vehicles were left unlocked," Battilora said, and he gave headline figures: 26 motor vehicle burglaries in 2021 and six motor vehicle thefts to date in 2021. He said all six thefts involved vehicles left unlocked with a key or key fob inside and that most stolen cars have been recovered.
Battilora described…
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