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Officers responding to a resident’s call on Arcadian Way found Anthony Lewis, 31, of Springfield, MA walking along Palisade Avenue near Route 5, Capt. Edward Young said.
They quickly confirmed not only that he was the bandit captured on video, Young said: Lewis had committed or tried to commit several other vehicle burglaries. He was charged with two counts each of burglary and criminal attempt and was released pending court action under New Jersey’s bail reform law of 2017.
Young, meanwhile, urged owners to always lock their vehicles and take their fobs no matter where or for how long they park.
The overwhelming majority of vehicle burglars don’t technically “break in.” Many simple test door handles. If a vehicle is locked, they keep moving. If it’s not, they get to work.
Thieves know what to look for. Some vehicles won't lock if the fob is still in them. Others have side mirrors that fold when the car is locked.
Surveillance cameras aren't much of a deterrent. Many thieves wear hoodies or hide their faces in other ways -- with COVID face masks, for instance. Most cameras don't have high-enough resolution to capture accurate facial features from a distance, especially in low light.
Figuring the insurance will cover it doesn't take into account how that actually will affect the owner's rates -- especially when his or her carrier discovers the fob was left in an unlocked vehicle.
Equally mistaken is the idea that locks won't make a difference because thieves will try to break in, anyway. Police say they ordinarily don't need to work more than a single block before finding an available ride without having to force their way in. Then you or your neighbor's wheels are gone.
The thieves prefer neighborhoods with trees, fences and other dividers between homes, those with fewer people out and around -- and those with higher-end vehicles available.
This video from Fort Lee police shows how quickly it's done:
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