A still from surveillance footage shows a suspect pulling the handle of a truck in the early morning hours of March 26.
Harrison Township police are investigating two unrelated theft incidents in a week that resulted in a warning for residents to remain vigilant.
The first theft is believed to have occurred at about 3:07 a.m. on March 20, in the 800 block of Balis Court, according to a township press release. Police were called to the scene by a resident who said she heard a loud noise and suspected her home had been broken into.
Police discovered that a rear window of the residence had been compromised and that someone had smashed the back windshield of the resident’s 2021 Range Rover Sport. The vehicle was then stolen from the home’s driveway with the owner’s wallet and keys inside, according to police.
The vehicle was eventually found in Hillside and a suspect was identified, though there has yet to be an arrest.
At about 4 a.m. on March 26, residents of the Tesoro Estates and Ravine at Brookside reported seeing a suspicious person pulling on the doors of vehicles and attempting to enter them. While no cars were stolen, someone stole a wallet from inside a vehicle on Sherwin Road.
Police have yet to identify a suspect in that theft, and the police department warned Harrison residents to watch for suspicious people and vehicles and report them to police.
“As this is a recurring problem within the area, and the state as a whole,” said the police press release, “we would like to remind our residents to remain vigilant with reporting any and all suspicious vehicles/persons in the area, ensuring that vehicles and residences are locked, alarms are set and motion lighting is functioning (if applicable).
“Additionally, keep keys, wallets and any other valuables out of plain view from windows or near interior garage door entrances.”
Anyone with information on the thefts is asked to contact Harrison Township police at (856) 478-6839. Mayor Louis Manzo also informed residents that they can subscribe to news updates and alerts through the township’s website.
“As protocol dictates, details of ongoing and active investigations, such as this one, will not be shared on social media platforms,” he explained. “We encourage residents to subscribe to police news and alerts on the Harrison Township Police Community Interface website. This is the police department’s public platform, where accurate, timely, and up-to-date information can be shared with you.
“Criminal activity in the region is a primary reason for our initiative to enhance surveillance capabilities in town,” Manzo added. “Our aim is to deter these types of activities.”
