Car Burglaries on Rise in Morris County

Morris County has seen a sharp rise in the motor vehicle burglaries, the Morris County Prosecutor's Office said.

Police are currently searching for a man believed responsible for burglaries in the Wharton and Mine Hill area. A composite based on descriptions of the man is included with this post. Anyone who may recognize this individual can contact the Wharton Police Department at 973-366-0557 or the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Crime Stopper Program at 973-COPCALL.

The rise in burglaries can be attributed to spikes in various limited geographic areas at different times, with crimes committed by different individuals, the prosecutor's office said. Motor vehicle burglaries account for about 30 percent of the 1,000 burglary incidents reported in the county this year; residential burglaries account for about 50 percent.

The prosecutor's Intelligence Crime Task Force/Burglary Task Force, formed in 2008, has been working to study and combat the crimes. According to the task force, most of the motor vehicle burglars are "opportunistic criminals"—they target a neighborhood or complex, and walk from car to car looking for unlocked vehicles. They'll quickly grab valuables that are visible—such as GPS devices, iPods and other electronics.

According to the prosecutor's office, more than 90 percent of motor vehicle burglaries fall into that category.

But a small portion of burglaries are more ambitious—the burglars will break into cars whether locked or unlocked to take women's purses left visible, specifically looking for checkbooks, wallets and driver's licenses, the prosecutor's office said. In those cases, the burglar is looking to use those documents to cash stolen checks and withdraw money, the prosecutor's office said.

"This group of criminals usually targets vehicles in recreational parks, ball fields and health clubs, places women are more likely to leave their purse in the vehicle," the prosecutor's office said in a statement.

Nearly two-thirds of motor vehicles occur between Friday night and Monday morning, and most occur between 1 a nd 4 a.m., according to  the prosecutor's office.

The prosecutor's office advises always locking car doors and rolling windows up, leaving nothing of value in sight. It notes that suction-cup mounts for GPS devices and other electronics can leave a smudge on a windowshield, and advises using other mounts or wiping off the smudges when leaving the car. It also notes friction mounts can tip a burglar off to the presence of a GPS.

See the PDF connected to this post for a complete statement from the prosecutor's office, including a sample statistical analysis of burglaries in several communities over the summer, and more tips on avoiding becoming a victim.