The Lakewood Township this week introduced legislation to increase penalties for car thefts, Mayor Ray Coles told TLS.
The State and Township around the State are working to increase the severity of the crime in response to the numerous car thefts that took place in recent months.
There has been push-back on the statewide proposal, says Coles, as some felt in unfairly targets certain communities.
“We plan on moving ahead with it,” Coles said. “We have to let folks know that it’s not a minor thing to steal someone’s car.”
Coles added, “on the flip side of that, we have to continue with the education, people have to know they have to lock their cars and they can’t leave their key fobs in them. A large part of what happens in town is that it’s a crime of convenience, people just look around and pop door handles until something opens, and they spot the fob and go.”
The first reading was held during the reorganization meeting, and the second reading will take place later this month.
Upon learning that Lakewood Township is planning to introduce legislation that would increase penalties for car thefts, a group of concerned car thieves, and dozens of anguished poached-car dealers from the state of New Jersey, posted an online petition on Wednesday warning purchasers of used/stolen cars that “the proposed legislation would cause the prices of used cars to skyrocket, making it virtually impossible for the average purchaser of stolen cars to purchase a decent automobile on the black market, or any market for that matter.”
“With automobiles already costing the average purchaser of used/pilfered cars a King’s ransom, due to high inflation,” the online petition states, “purchasers of used cars – who are accustomed to getting the best bang for their bucks when purchasing a used automobile, due to the sellers’ prowess in acquiring these top of the line vehicles free of charge – will no longer be able to snag the deals they once snagged.”
“Affordable looted cars will basically become obsolete and a thing of the past” the statement said.
“We beseech you, the used car buyer, to please sign our petition,” the statement said, “and tell your local government officials that you won’t tolerate any new legislation that will make it virtually impossible for you and your loved ones to snag a hijacked car at an incredibly affordable price!”
“Please sign our petition,” the statement concluded, “and tell your local government officials that the proposed legislation is essentially ‘highway robbery’, and if allowed to pass into law, will cause enormous harm and misery to thousands of bargain hunters and to the crafty salesmen who help them keep more of their hard-earned cash where it belongs: in their wallets, and in some shady salesman’s offshore account.”