TO THE EDITOR: The fear of crime is running rampant through the New Jersey suburbs. This is especially true in the Interstate 78/287 corridor where car thefts are becoming commonplace.
Governor Murphy and Attorney General Platkin have openly failed to prosecute these crimes. They have directed state resources to stand down, not chase car thieves, or prosecute property crimes.
Our local mayors and municipalities are passing ordnances that criminalize these offenses so our local police can arrest these thieves and prosecute them in municipal court—and we need to appreciate the efforts of Mayors like Larry Jacobs of Bedminster, Jennifer Asay of Bernards, and Matt Moench of Bridgewater, who are trying to keep us safe.
Now we are hearing that the stolen automobiles make their way to the ports, are loaded on ships, and transported overseas where profits from their sales are funding ISIS and other terrorist organizations. Frightening, but what can be done?
How about the state send a task force to the port, check the vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) of the cars before being loaded on the ships and determine which cars are “hot,” prevent their export and arrest the people who bring them in? This is infinitely easier and less dangerous than having several hundred local police forces on alert.
Where is the federal government in all of this? Don’t we have a Department of Homeland Security and US Customs and Border Service to monitor our ports? It would appear President Biden’s border security failure also includes the Port of Elizabeth.
For those who do not believe their vote counts, sleep well.
STEVE PARKER
Airport Road
Bedminster Township
Editor’s Note: This Letter to the Editor originally appeared in The Bernardsville News.