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The youths, 16 and 17 years old, were charged in connection with the theft of an Audi SUV out of New York City, according to Middletown Police Chief R. Craig Weber.
"These same juveniles are suspected of being involved in numerous attempted thefts in Middletown and surrounding jurisdictions and that part of the investigation is still ongoing," Weber said on Thursday, Sept. 29.
On Aug. 8, a BMW X3 was stolen from a residence on Sailors Way. It was recovered the next day in Newark. On Aug. 18, a Ford Explorer ST was stolen from a residence on Mohican Drive. That vehicle was subsequently recovered by police several days later in Newark. Police are investigating the possibility that the two thefts are connected.
“The alarming rise in auto theft poses a serious risk to public safety, Weber said. "Car thieves, who are often juveniles, have become increasingly reckless, entering garages and homes in broad daylight to retrieve key fobs and driving at extremely high rates of speed, sometimes crashing into police cars and other motorists."
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