SOUTH JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — Lawmakers in New Jersey are looking to increase penalties for auto thefts and want to take an especially hard line on those who recruit kids to do their dirty work.
Law enforcement officials in the state have sounded the alarm on increases in auto thefts. They say adults using kids and teens to do the heavy lifting is troubling in particular because they know the legal system will take it easy on minors.
“These juveniles will go into neighborhoods, steal the cars, bring them to the auto rings and be paid handsomely,” said state Sen. Anthony Bucco, R-Denville.
Bucco said there has been an increase in those kids breaking into homes to get the car keys, and there have been fights and altercations inside homes.
He fears someone will eventually get killed in one of these encounters.
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A bill by Bucco would increase penalties for all auto thefts, and he says they created a special upgrade for those adult ring leaders to be held accountable.
“What we need to do is to be able to get to these folks that are running these enterprises, these criminal enterprises, and make sure that there are severe penalties,” said Bucco.
This bill enhances penalties for auto theft with up to 10 years in prison. It also closes a loophole that had some alleged criminal ring leaders falling through legal cracks, and establishes a new crime for those involved in the criminal networks even if they aren’t suspected as the ring leader.
He hopes to have the bill up for a full vote soon, but said there’s no timeline on that yet.