Haddonfield Safe crowdsources $18,000 to help police get license plate readers amid thefts

HADDONFIELD, NJ - In Haddonfield, a group of bold thieves have been breaking into homes and stealing cars. 

"It was terrifying for a victim to come down at four in the morning and hear someone breaking in and then searching for a key fob. They did everything right that they should have done, but they did have a high and luxury vehicle parked in the driveway," said Mayor Colleen Bianco Bezich.

Amy Crutchfield, a concerned resident, also expressed her worry. "They were so bold—they went in. You could see them in the windows, looking for car keys, and such, and it was very concerning for me and for another neighbor; they broke in while they were sleeping."

After two separate incidents earlier this year, residents quickly came together to form a community group called Haddonfield Safe. 

• Haddonfield residents can now report tips to police via text
• Amid uptick of home break-ins, Haddonfield residents express frustration with lack of safety
• South Jersey city named among safest, richest in the US

They rallied for more policing and then crowdsourced $18,000 to help the police lease-purchase three autonomous license plate readers to be set up in strategic locations.

"As soon as a vehicle rides by the autonomous license plate reader, it reads the plate, runs it through a crime database to see if that car is stolen or wanted for something else," explained Chief Jason Cutler of the Haddonfield Police Department. 

Police say thieves often use stolen vehicles to steal other vehicles, and if they can catch them as they come into town, they hope to stop crime before it happens.

Chadd Levine, an organizer with the Haddonfield Safe group, emphasized the community's proactive stance. "We as citizens felt we needed to take action sooner, and hopefully today and now, things we've brought to the commissioners will help us all feel a little safer."

The autonomous license plate readers will be in place in the next couple of weeks. The data collected by them is shared with other departments and vice versa.

Police announced Monday those four suspects from the break-ins and car thefts have been apprehended and are likely connected to other similar cases elsewhere.