Teens And Parents Charged After Car Break-Ins In Gloucester City
Police in Gloucester City, New Jersey, say three teenagers were arrested after breaking into more than 20 unlocked cars over the weekend. But the case doesn’t end there—two of the teens’ parents are also facing charges.
The break-ins happened in the Highland Park neighborhood. Video given to CBS News Philadelphia shows the suspects pulling on car doors to see which ones were unlocked. Police say if a car was locked, they moved on to the next.
The suspects include a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old from Camden, and a 19-year-old from Cherry Hill. Officers charged them with 28 crimes, including burglary, theft, criminal mischief, and possession of stolen credit and debit cards.
The 19-year-old had outstanding warrants and was turned over to Camden County Metro Police. The two underage teens were released with ankle monitors.
Authorities say the parents of the 16- and 17-year-olds are also being charged. Under a local Gloucester City ordinance, parents can face penalties if they fail to supervise their children. The rule has been around since the 1990s but was recently updated to include criminal activity.
“People think they can come through Gloucester and cause mischief, cause crime,” said Councilmember Ed Cilurso. “We’re not doing that. We’re not backing down.”
If convicted, each parent could be fined up to $500.
Police believe more cars may have been broken into and are asking residents in Highland Park to check their security cameras, look over their vehicles, and report anything missing.
