Multiple Car Thefts Throughout Chatham Township

Chatham Township Police said several residents reported their cars stolen or witnessed attempts to steal their cars within recent weeks.

Lt. Maureen Kazaba said police believe the thieves are targeting cars that use a proximity-key fobs to start, and warned residents to remove key fobs and lock their cars each night and make sure the car does not have a valet key in the glove compartment.

"It was learned that some dealerships place valet keys in the vehicle’s document envelope in the glove compartment," Kazaba said. She added the cars' owners are not always aware this key is in the car.

Kazaba cited recent car thefts and break-ins in recent weeks, including a 2011 Infinity stolen from a Van Houten Avenue resident. The resident reported the car stolen on March 12 and said the vehicle's proximity key fob had been left inside the vehicle.

That same day two other cars were entered sometime during the night. Both parked, a 2011 Jeep Cherokee and a 2010 Acura MDX, were parked in driveways in the Wickham Woods neighborhood and were left unlocked overnight, Kazaba said.

"Items in the glove compartment and center console of both vehicles were removed but not taken, indicating that the actors may have been looking for something," possibly a valet key, Kazaba said. Both vehicles used proximity key fobs to start, but the key fobs were not left in the cars.

Another resident on Nicholson Drive reported on March 14 that someone entered her unlocked vehicle during the night. This car also used a proximity key fob to start. "Again, the actors appear to have gone through glove compartment and center console of the vehicle," Kazaba said.

While nothing of value was stolen, there were documents missing from the glove compartment. The documents were later recovered in the gutter down the street, Kazaba said, and police believe the wind blew them away.

On March 19 a Woodmont Road resident told police he found an unknown black man in his 2012 Jeep Laredo when he left for work at 3:55 a.m. When the resident confronted the man, he ran into a waiting four-door black sedan with two other black men inside and then drove away, Kazaba said. This vehicle, too, used a proximity key fob.

. Kazaba said other towns in Morris, Union and Somerset counties reported similar instances. The actors appear to be targeting cars that start with proximity key fobs or which have valet keys in the glove compartment.

"Residents should be sure to check their vehicle for these valet keys and remove them. Residents are also cautioned to always lock the vehicle doors and to never leave a proximity key fob in the vehicle," Kazaba said.