Interlaken Cops Scold Residents for Leaving Cars Unlocked
Interlaken and Deal residents are inviting a dangerous criminal element into their community by leaving their high end vehicles unlocked, according to a scolding message from the Interlaken Police Department sent via nixle.
**** Attention residents and members of our extended community, we have a very important message ****
We have experienced an increase of High End Motor Vehicle Thefts in our community. Four vehicles have been stolen from Deal in the last week, and every one has been UNLOCKED with KEYS left in the vehicle. This is UNACCEPTABLE and YOU are creating a dangerous situation for both our officers and the community as a whole.
These criminals are well aware that the high end vehicles they are after are located in affluent communities like our service area. There is NO EXCUSE for leaving your vehicle unlocked with the keys inside. By doing so, YOU are creating an environment ripe for criminal activity and are inviting a very bad element into our community. These criminals do not stop for law enforcement, are most likely armed, and once approached they flee the area at extremely high rates of speed.
***They have no regard for the lives and safety of our officers, you, or your children***
DO NOT attempt to pursue them on your own and notify us immediately. This is an area wide problem including several surrounding jurisdictions in Monmouth County. We are not alone in this and will be working with other Law Enforcement Agencies to arrest those responsible.
That being said, this is PREVENTABLE by simply LOCKING your vehicles and removing the keys and key fobs. This is a simple task that will prevent you from becoming a victim and one of our officers from being injured. We need to work together to prevent our community from becoming a target for crime. These are crimes of opportunity and right now the criminals know that they can have their pick of a wide variety of high end vehicles and our residents are accommodating enough to leave the keys inside for them.
Do your part and LOCK YOUR VEHICLES!
Instructions:
LOCK YOUR VEHICLES