More aggressive enforcement is on the way for New Jersey vehicle burglaries and thefts, including teen joyriding. A recent press report quotes New Jersey's attorney general as warning of increased prosecution initiatives to turn back the increased numbers of vehicle burglaries and thefts across the state. New Jersey has seen a 31% increase in vehicle thefts already this year after a 22% increase in all of last year, according to the report. State and local initiatives are warning vehicle owners to lock their vehicles when unattended and to hide personal property stored inside. But state authorities are also partnering with local law enforcement on prosecution initiatives to stem the tide.

Causes for the Rise in Vehicle Thefts

The causes for the rise in vehicle burglaries and theft may not be what you think. The above press report quotes a criminal justice expert attributing the cause to supply-chain problems for new vehicle sales and an associated rise in used vehicle values. When personal property like a used car increases in value, it attracts more thieves. And when vehicle owners and repair shops can't buy electronics and other parts new from legal distribution sources because of supply-chain problems, thieves steal and chop vehicles to sell their parts on black markets. But the pandemic may have increased vehicle thefts for other reasons, too, such as when aimless teens, freed of in-person schooling, roam the streets to go for a little joyriding. Joyriding may be a youthful prank, but police and prosecutors may also treat it as vehicle theft, a serious crime.

What to Do When Facing Vehicle Theft Charges

If you or a friend or family member, such as your joyriding teen, face New Jersey vehicle burglary or theft charges, you need skilled and experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorney representation. You or your teen may be entirely innocent. Exonerating or mitigating evidence may exist, such as a dispute over the vehicle's transfer, lease, or ownership, express or implied consent for the vehicle's use, or even emergency public or private necessity or merely incidental use. And no matter the evidence and circumstances, you or your teen have constitutional, statutory, and procedural rights to assert and enforce. A charge is not a conviction. The police and prosecutors seldom have all facts and often have contradictory evidence or gaps in necessary facts. Aggressive defense attorney representation can reveal those contradictions and gaps while establishing winnable defenses through other facts.

New Jersey Defense Attorney Representation Available

If you face, or your teen or other loved one faces, a New Jersey vehicle-crime charge, retain premier New Jersey criminal defense attorney Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm for aggressive and effective representation. Don't settle for anything less than the best representation, and don't assume that you are guilty as charged. Instead, get the premier defense attorney representation that you deserve and need. Call the Lento Law Firm at 888-535-3686 or go online now.