Police: Masked thieves hit Verona, N.J. house looking for car key fob
FAIRFIELD, N.J. -- A string of burglaries in Essex County has residents on edge. Police say the suspects are after one thing.
Multiple suspects broke into a house in Fairfield early Tuesday morning, stealing a key fob and driving off with the homeowners' BMW.
In Verona, masked suspects wearing gloves walk through the unlocked side door of a home on Cambridge Road on Oct. 1, police said, looking for the key fob to a Range Rover.
"Somebody left it unlocked. Normally, everything is lock, lock, lock, but they just checked it. They were checking," one person said. "It was unnerving to watch people come into your home."
The homeowner, who didn't want to be identified, said the brazen suspects couldn't find the key fob, but stole several bags, including her husband Marty Goor's backpack.
He said a Ring camera caught the suspects in action and the brazen burglars ditched his bag.
"These guys obviously knew what they were doing. My iPad could be tracked," he said.
The burglary happened after police say another homeowner was beaten and carjacked in town.
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Goor said his Range Rover with his license inside was stolen months before at a Verona business, but was recovered by police, who arrested the thieves.
"I came out of the dry cleaners to watch the guy cramming into the car because he was trying to escape the parking lot," Goor said.
Police in Fairfield said the homeowners did everything right, but the burglars broke in.
"Physically broke into the house by breaking kitchen window to obtain keys and a wallet that were left on the kitchen counter," Officer Stacy Chiarolanza said.
No one was hurt, but the homeowners were alerted by their alarm.
Police said they're not sure if the burglaries are connected, but said this is a statewide problem involving mostly juvenile suspects.
"This really comes back down to stuff like bail reform. If and when we catch these people, they'll be out by the time the paperwork is done," Chiarolanza said.
The burglars in Fairfield and Verona have not been caught.