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A bandit tried taking a Range Rover from the driveway of one home while two young girls played in front of it, Police Chief Joseph Tracy said.
Hours later, a thief in a black ski mask and hoodie entered an open garage door to steal a Mercedes Benz but bolted after he was confronted by the residents’ 12-year-old son.
Although both attempts failed, a third succeeded when a 2022 BMW that had been left unlocked with the key fob inside was stolen from a local resident’s home, Tracy said.
This comes less than two weeks after a thief broke into the garage of another Old Tappan residence, searched until he found a set of keys and made off with an SUV while the family who lives there were home.
SEE: IN BROAD DAYLIGHT: Brazen Thieves Steal Vehicle From Garage While Bergen Family Is Home
Bail reform has made thieves more “bold and brazen,” said Tracy, the borough police chief.
Instead of waiting 'till dark, many are entering garages and homes in broad daylight to get what they came for -- even when there are people around, he said.
The recent string of encounters began shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday.
A thief dressed in all black – including a ski mask and gloves – walked up the driveway of a home on the east side of town and tried stealing a Range Rover parked in front of an open garage door, the chief said.
The homeowner was working on the other side of the house as his two young daughters played inside the open garage directly in front of the vehicle, Tracy said.
When he saw what was happening, the homeowner chased the thief with a rake.
The bandit hopped into the passenger seat of a waiting gray BMW with heavily tinted windows and only a rear license plate, the chief said.
It turns out the car, which sped off, had been reported stolen out of the Jersey Shore town of Spring Lake.
Its occupants made their way across the state line into Rockland County, where they tried stealing three more vehicles, Tracy said.
The next incident was reported at 5:15 a.m. Wednesday by a resident whose brand-new BMW was stolen by two men -- one heavyset, the other thin and both wearing dark clothing, the chief said.
The car was last seen entering the southbound Garden State Parkway in Washington Township minutes later, he said.
Then, shortly after 8:30 a.m., a thief entered an unlocked garage at a nearby Old Tappan home and was scared off by a 12-year-old boy.
The bandit got into a red Corvette convertible that sped off -- and was later spotted racing through River Vale and Paramus, Tracy said.
State authorities four months ago announced a number of proactive measures aimed at curbing auto thefts as part of a larger strategy intended to reduce violent crime, the chief noted.
He and his fellow chiefs are still waiting for some action, Tracy said, “unless I missed the memo.”
For now, he said, residents should “always ensure all doors are closed and locked even when they are home. Be sure to take your key fob inside your home no matter where or for how long you're parked.”
ALSO: Never hesitate to call police -- and be sure to do it immediately -- if you see something suspicious. They’d much rather respond to a call that turns into nothing than see someone victimized.
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