Crime & Safety

Car Stolen from Lawrence Discovered in Shipping Container Bound for Liberia

The moral of the story? Lock your cars, hide your valuables, police say.

A 2011 Kia Optima stolen from Burning Tree Lane in Lawrence on July 31 was discovered in a shipping container bound for Liberia at the Elizabeth Newark Seaport, according to Lawrence Township Police. 

The vehicle, which was valued at $15,000, was taken from a residential driveway after thieves discovered the car keys in an unlocked vehicle also parked in the driveway. 

On Friday, Aug. 16, the New Jersey State Police Auto Theft Unit reported that they found the vehicle inside a shipping container. Also in the container was an Infiniti carjacked from Philadelphia, a Mazda stolen from Ewing and another vehicle stolen from Sharon, N.J. 

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"This is a case where someone was going around checking for unlocked cars and that Kia was stolen and being shipped to Africa," Lt. Mark Ubry said. "I cannot stress enough that people should locked their cars and store their valuables where they can not be seen."


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