WILDWOOD CREST – A 15-year-old has been charged with stealing a car from Wildwood Crest after the vehicle was apparently left unlocked.
Wildwood Crest Police Department (WCPD) responded to a call at around 5:02 p.m. March 23, reporting a vehicle stolen from the 8300 block of New Jersey Avenue.
Officer Michael McInerney, of the WCPD Detective Division, arrived on the scene and was told the stolen vehicle might have been taken into Wildwood. Information about the vehicle was given to the Wildwood Police Department (WPD).
While continuing the investigation, the WPD located the vehicle parked at a hotel on the 300 block of East Rio Grande Avenue in Wildwood. A suspect was then located on the 100 block of West Rio Grande Avenue.
Wildwood Crest detectives were able to link the juvenile suspect to the car theft. The suspect was taken into custody and transported to Wildwood Crest police headquarters for processing.
Police said the recovered vehicle was returned to the owner.
The juvenile was charged with theft by unlawful taking and was later released to a parent on a summons with a future court date.
WCPD reminds residents to lock their vehicles and property when unattended.
