Rash of ATV, dirt bike thefts in South Jersey likely part of organized ring: police

WASHINGTON TWP., N.J. - A rash of thefts targeting ATVs and dirt bikes in South Jersey have led police to believe it is likely part of an organized ring. 

FOX 29's Steve Keeley went to Washington Township and spoke to one victim who says his expensive ATV was stolen right after he posted it on social media. 

"It's a big vehicle. I mean it's not a small quad, probably the size of a standard car," Joe Boccuti said of his very big and now very stolen all-terrain vehicle. 

It cost $30,000, had four doors, four seats, and he just detailed it ultra-clean because he had just sold it, and said the buyer was coming to pick it up in the morning before thieves picked it up first.

"I listed it on Facebook Marketplace Sunday night around 8 p.m., got a million people interested messaging me, texting me, and I had someone coming to pick it up on Tuesday. I came here the next day to give it a once over in the morning, Monday morning, gone." said Boccuti.

"Outside or in the garage?" Keeley asked.  Boccuti replied, "It's normally in the garage, but I just washed it, so I left it out to dry one night—gone."

Joe's big $30,000 side-by-side wasn't the only thing gone that night. So were three dirt bikes from one shed just one town over in Berlin.

"The motorcycles that were stolen in Berlin were inside a shed. The homeowner looked out back early in the morning, saw her shed locks poked, and ran out and saw her family's three motorcycle bikes stolen," said Chief Patrick Gurcsik of the Washington Township Police Department.

"And you think these could be related?" inquired Keeley.

"Yes, so we've been in contact with the New Jersey State Police and also with the police over in Berlin. With our detective and their detective comparing notes on the area, it lines up like the same people committed both acts. Yes, there's a strong possibility there's a crew of individuals stealing motorcycles in the South Jersey area," said Chief Gurcsik. "The National Insurance Crime Bureau says it's a growing problem throughout the state of New Jersey with motor vehicles and motorcycles, and quads. Usually, all thieves need is a truck or a trailer or a U-Haul, and they're off with them."

Boccuti has some regrets as to how he marketed his ATV on Facebook. 

"I made a couple of mistakes. Number one, one of the pictures had my address on the shed, and number two, my name on Facebook is my real name. I would recommend taking your last name off of Facebook because all they had to do was Google my name and the number of my house, the whole address came up," said the victim.