About five years ago there was a rash of carjackings in New Jersey. The situation is improving but carjacking remains a serious concern, according to law enforcement officials.

Carjacking is still a problem in the Garden State. (BO NIELSEN, ThinkStock)
Carjacking is still a problem in the Garden State. (BO NIELSEN, ThinkStock)
loading...

"It's an ongoing problem, but compared to the way it was back in the day, meaning several years ago, the numbers have definitely dramatically decreased," said Bradley Cohen, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI in Newark, New Jersey.

He said collaboration from all law enforcement agencies have helped to bring the numbers down.

Nevertheless, Cohen said drivers need to stay alert

"It can happen anywhere. I don't want to preface it by saying it happens in a mall and then their guard goes down, this act of violence can occur anywhere, a strip mall, a shopping center, on the streets of a city or town," Special Agent Cohen said. "Nowadays more than likely it's happening on the street corner. You're stopped at a red light, minding your own business and low and behold, an act of violence occurs right there at the intersection."

He said it's common for people to get complacent in their cars, but staying alert is extremely important.

"During the daytime you would never think it's happening because of the fact that there are so many people around, but this is a crime of opportunity," he said.

According to Cohen, not too long ago carjacking was typically a crime committed by a gang or organized crime, but that is no long the case.

"Nowadays it's a crime of opportunity, so to speak. At any given time, by one or more people," he said.

Cohen said drivers should be more cognoscente of their surroundings especially at night.

"They should be looking around, keeping your doors locked, taking in where you are at what given time, who's on the street corner," he said. "But also it doesn't necessarily have to mean that this crime of opportunity can be somebody standing on the street corner, it could be somebody that's in a car next to you,  or make it staged as a car accident, so to speak."

He also said in many cases, vehicles taken in carjackings are recovered, because the criminals were only interested in getting from one location to another, or going for a joy ride, but sometimes cars are taken to either be stripped or shipped overseas.

More From New Jersey 101.5 FM