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Police: NJ Man Entered Chief's Unlocked Patrol Car

SADDLE BROOK, N.J. (AP) — A man allegedly spotted inside a northern New Jersey police chief's unmarked and unlocked patrol car is now facing burglary charges.

Saddle Brook Chief Robert Kugler says a neighbor who was headed out to work around 2:45 a.m. Friday saw a light on inside the chief's vehicle, which was parked in Kugler's driveway. The neighbor called police after he saw someone get out of the vehicle and realized it wasn't Kugler, and they quickly called the chief at home to notify him.

Officers responded to the area and soon found 21-year-old Timothy Jolls of Lodi. Jolls was arrested after officers allegedly saw him leaving a vehicle parked in a driveway a few houses away.

Two other cars in the area allegedly were burglarized by Jolls, but apparently only loose change was taken. Jolls was later released and is due to appear in court on Tuesday.

Kugler admitted that he enabled the crime by not locking the vehicle, and he hopes the incident will serve as a cautionary tale for others.

"This is literally a wakeup call not only for me personally, but for all of us, to lock our cars at all times because you never know what or who is lurking around outside and around our homes and in our streets," he said.

A telephone number for Jolls could not be located Sunday, and it was not known if he has retained a lawyer.

Jolls was arrested again early Sunday, when Saddle Brook police say he allegedly tried to break in to more vehicles.

(© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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