Edison, NJ - Stolen Marked Police Car Found In Woods After Several Days - Active Criminal Investigation

Police car reported stolen found in woods in Edison

 Gannett News Service • July 11, 2008


EDISON — A marked patrol car, which was reported as stolen last week by the township police department, was recovered Wednesday in the woods at the end of Koster Boulevard, near the Menlo Park Mall, Police Director Brian Collier said.

The ignition was intact and there were no signs of break-in.

"It was not abused and does not appear to be misused,'' Collier said.

The car appeared to be sitting in the wooded area for some time and had not been disturbed for several days, Collier said.

Authorities have not yet figured out the exact day the car went missing and are checking department records to tighten the timeline.

Collier said the department is in the process of getting rid of older cars and getting some new cars. As part of that project, patrol cars were being shifted from the police lot to the impound lot across town.

"Because of the ongoing activity, it didn't immediately occur to us that the car was missing,'' he said.

He added that last week was particularly hectic for the police department, with a fatal accident that occurred Thursday and, during the week's confusion, the car was taken.

Patrol cars are assigned in pools to various officers and the fleet keys are kept in the police department, Collier said.

"It has nothing to do with those officers as far as we can tell,'' he said.

Collier, who was hired by the township April 1, said he noticed early on that the security measures in the back police lot were antiquated.

He said he took steps last month to improve security in the lot and work is progressing on that front.

The case of the stolen patrol car is under active criminal investigation.

"We got it under control,'' Collier said.
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