Dear Resident,

It is my duty and obligation to report to you on issues which can potentially impact you and your families. Elevated crime rates throughout the state have punctuated the news and Law Enforcement bulletins for some time. South Amboy however, seemed to enjoy a lower crime rate than many communities in our state. However, a few recent events are causing me and my agency's officers great concern. Criminal elements from outside our community are migrating into South Amboy usually in the early morning hours to steal property. Our investigations seem to indicate that these suspects come from urbanized communities north of us. These are extremely brazen individuals who appear to have no regard for consequences. Our close proximity to Route 9 and 35 as well as egress to the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike exasperate the problem. In the past few weeks two homes have been entered and property was quickly removed. A vehicle was stolen after the suspects obtained the keys from inside the home. In another instance, a laptop was taken. What is particularly concerning to me, is that in both instances the residents were home at the time of the burglary. A consistent pattern seems to be emerging. Suspects are exploiting unlocked motor vehicles which can give them access to garage door openers, as well as unsecured windows that they simply slide open. I must emphasize that at no time were weapons brandished or violence utilized to steal property. No one was injured and the suspects quickly fled. In the latest incident a vehicle was stolen from a neighboring community and was utilized by the suspects to commit a crime in South Amboy. Rest assured, I do not take these criminal acts lightly and have responded in kind. We have enacted an increased patrol presence literally doubling the amount of officers assigned to your neighborhood. My pledge to you is that this activity will not be tolerated in South Amboy.

However, I need the cooperation of our residents with basic crime prevention measures. Please do not leave doors and windows unsecured. This applies to both your private residence and your vehicles. Please refrain from leaving valuables in your vehicle such as electronics, money or sensitive documents. As always, please strongly consider leaving exterior lights on during the evening hours. Also, commercially available security cameras and systems have become more affordable. Both RING and NEST Cameras are readily available at many home improvement stores. Lastly, lets work together to keep (OUR) community safe.

PLEASE CONDUCT AN IMMEDIATE SECURITY ASSEMENT OF YOUR HOME AND VEHICLE. PLEASE PERSONALLY CHECK EVERY DOOR AND WINDOW.

Respectfully,
Chief Darren LaVigne

View Full Letter Here