Auto theft, including carjackings, is a real risk. Help keep our community safe by locking your car, taking your keys, and staying alert to your surroundings.

"Cumberland County residents are not immune to this national trend in car thefts.  Many of these thefts could easily be prevented if the owner simply locked their car and took their keys with them. Thieves are looking for easy scores. If you leave your car unlock, or even worse leave the keys in the car, all a thief has to do is stroll through your neighborhood trying car doors until they find one unlocked."  District Attorney Sean M. McCormack    

Why have carjackings increased?

Although no one can say for sure, the root causes of this sharp increase in carjackings is likely due to:

• Newer model cars have anti-theft protection features that make it difficult to steal a car that's locked—meaning the thief must steal the car directly from the driver.
• The pandemic caused people to spend more time at home. This made other types of theft (like home burglaries) more challenging, therefore making car theft more attractive to thieves, which began a new, more common theft tactic.
• Cities across the country are seeing vehicles being stolen to commit other crimes, such as robberies or drive-by shootings.