EAST HANOVER TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Morris County) — Police are warning residents after an attempted vehicle theft at an occupied home early Tuesday morning on Windsor Way, authorities said.
According to East Hanover Police Chief Christopher F. Cannizzo, suspects attempted to steal a vehicle by targeting a key fob or car key inside the residence. A BMW parked in the driveway was locked, and the suspects then attempted to gain entry to the home.
The homeowner heard the attempted entry and immediately contacted police, Cannizzo said. Patrol officers responded, and investigators later learned the suspects were involved in activity in several surrounding towns after leaving East Hanover. No vehicle was stolen in the incident.
Police said the incident remains under investigation, along with similar cases reported in neighboring municipalities. Cannizzo said authorities are concerned that organized theft crews may be intentionally targeting specific vehicles and addresses throughout the region.
An analysis of stolen vehicle data from 2020 to the present shows BMWs and Audis among the most frequently stolen vehicles, with BMW X5 and X7 models appearing to be particularly attractive in recent incidents, police said.
Cannizzo said he has been in contact with several other police chiefs and urged residents — especially BMW owners — to take precautions, including locking all vehicle and home doors, activating alarm systems, using exterior lighting and security cameras, parking vehicles in garages when possible, blocking vehicles with another car if a garage is not available, reporting suspicious activity immediately by calling 911, and using the East Hanover Police Department’s vacation house check service.
“These recommendations are offered to help reduce risk and are not intended to place blame on any victim,” Cannizzo said.
The East Hanover Police Department has increased patrols and implemented special enforcement details and is working with local, county, state and federal law enforcement partners through intelligence-led policing and real-time information sharing, authorities said.
