Police warn South Jersey residents after thieves break into homes, steal luxury cars

Several South Jersey neighborhoods are feeling uneasy after thieves were seen on surveillance cameras breaking into homes and stealing luxury cars.

Police departments in multiple townships are now sending out warnings to their communities.

Harrison Township Police Department Chief Ronald Cundey said several federal and local police agencies are now working together to stop and solve these crimes.

NBC10 spoke to victims who are feeling unsafe in their own homes.

Scott Hollander, a resident of Mullica Hill, said his surveillance cameras captured what appeared to be four masked individuals break into his home early Wednesday morning.

"At first you think there's one or two. You don’t expect there to be an army of people outside your house preparing to come in,” said Hollander.

Hollander said that his wife- who is nine months pregnant - had heard unusual sounds coming from downstairs. The thieves appeared to have used a crowbar and prop open one of the windows.

"My wife had been up using the restroom and she heard some unusual ruffling, rustling sound. She attributed to some outdoor wind and then it got more aggressive. Then she heard feet tapping and then so she had woken me up. And I told her just call 9-1-1," said Hollander.

The thieves were able to find the couple's car keys and took off with their Range Rover.

"It's scary, I mean it's one thing taking a car but then coming into their house and not knowing their intentions in the middle of the night. That's not an easy reaction, it’s a little unsettling," Holland said.

Cheif Cundey added it's an alarming trend that popped up in the last month.

“There's a drastic uptick in the state in motor vehicle thefts and now the criminals are escalating their techniques and actually breaking into houses to steal the key fobs, they’re stealing high-end vehicles," Cundey said.

Two weeks ago, a family in Mantua Township suffered a similar fate when thieves broke into their home by propping up the window.

The family said their dog alerted them to the thieves, but the suspects still made off with three pairs of car keys and the BMW.

"Best advice we can give, lock your cars, lock your homes. If you hear something or see something please call us. Call 9-1-1 right away to get officers out there. We’re aggressively patrolling," Cundey said.

Cundey added that neighboring townships, such as Robbinsville, have also seen this type of criminal behavior and share the same warning.

NBC10 learned that Hollander's vehicle was located and the other family's car has not been.