SOUTH JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — While car thefts in New Jersey were down 12% last month compared to this same time last year, Gov. Phil Murphy still wants to see harsher penalties for repeat offenders.
Murphy proposed a package of bills earlier this week that would give prosecutors the option to criminalize the possession of specific tools used to steal cars and expand pre-trial monitoring for people awaiting trial.
The legislation would also impose criminalize the failure to comply with guidelines when buying or selling catalytic converters.
“We’re also putting $10 million in federal funds to work in communities investing in automated license plate recognition technologies that allow local police to better track and trace both stolen vehicles and the vehicles being used to shuttle car thieves into targeted neighborhoods,” he said. “The attorney general has also revised the police pursuit policy to explicitly permit the pursuit of stolen cars, among other things.”
“Auto theft not only victimizes the owner of the vehicle, but it can also victimize the whole community. Stolen vehicles are often used in the commission of crimes and can be found driving recklessly on our roadways creating a dangerous environment for everyone,” said Col. Patrick Callahan, New Jersey State Police superintendent.
The proposals can’t come soon enough for Shawn Watson of West Deptford. He said a crew in a white van stole his motorcycle from the driveway in the middle of the night last week. It was all caught on a doorbell surveillance camera.
“Knowing that they were right there, right outside my bedroom window and I had no idea,” he said. “They had the guts to do that. … What else would they do?”
Murphy vows to sign the laws once they are approved by lawmakers in Trenton. The bills have the support of Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and Senate President Nick Scutari, so it is likely to pass and get signed into law eventually.
There’s no timeline set for a vote.
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