Middletown Mayor Tony Perry wants stricter penalties for car thefts as Monmouth County towns are targeted by thieves.

“It's only a matter of time before somebody gets hurt…” Perry said.

Car thefts are ramping up in the Garden State, especially in affluent areas such as Monmouth County. This is all occurring despite acting Attorney General Matt Platkin allowing police to chase suspected stolen cars back in April.

Four incidents in Holmdel in two weeks all led to high-speed chases. One officer was injured this past weekend.

"If we have criminals that know they won't be prosecuted, that know they're not going to spend an hour in jail, that know that they're going to be released on a summons - that's a joke in my opinion and that's not law and order. That's the wild, wild West.

A Dodge Durango was involved in an attempted vehicle theft on Aug. 21, in which the suspects actually went inside the home and the homeowner chased them out before the Durango sped away.

In an Aug. 25 attempt, the suspects threw a rock through a window on Palmetto Court before driving more than 100 mph north on the Parkway.

A BMW crashed into a Holmdel police vehicle Saturday morning, injuring the officer. It sped off, ran over deployed spike strips, and still made it to Newark - with the suspects getting away.

Police on Monday went after a gray Porsche SUV suspected in thefts and burglaries - that vehicle hit speeds of 90 mph in neighborhoods.