Chatham Borough police enact initiatives to combat car thefts in town
News 12’s Ali Reid spoke exclusively with Chief Brian Gibbons about the issue and how police are solving it.
It’s a positive outcome to an ongoing issue in Chatham Borough. The chief of police tells News 12 that every car stolen in town so far this year has been recovered.
Chief Brian Gibbons says they’re finding ways to get ahead of the rise across the state in car thefts.
“We're deploying resources and personnel strictly into the areas where we know it’s a problem -- and it’s working,” says Gibbons.
They've assigned a dedicated police officer to the New Jersey State Police Auto Task Force -- and the borough recently hired two additional police officers.
Detectives successfully arrested two juveniles earlier this month in possession of a car stolen on Kimball Street.
All six vehicles stolen in Chatham in 2024 have been recovered and three arrests have been made, says Gibbons.
The department is also collaborating with neighboring police departments to establish a Southeast Morris County Auto Theft Task Force to hone in on high-impact areas.
“If we can make this change on the local level, and we can work with our partners at the county, state and federal level, we can make some meaningful change,” says Gibbons.
The chief says numbers are also down because people in town are being more vigilant.
He expects to have more information out soon on other leads they're following.
