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'This is Ruining My Summer': Gloucester Township Police Investigating Rash Of Motorcycle, WaveRunner Thefts

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBS) – Gloucester Township police are looking for leads after a rash of motorcycle and wave runner thefts. Last Thursday and Friday, three motorcycles and three WaveRunners were stolen at various locations throughout the township within a 12-hour window and they believe at least the WaveRunner thefts are connected.

Thomas Ross, who lives on Woodland Avenue in Blackwood, said his WaveRunner and trailer were stolen right out of his driveway just a few hours after he got done riding it.

Hey guys my waverunner was stolen last night plz share an if u see this call police thanx

Posted by Thomas Ross on Friday, July 19, 2019

"I'm mad, I worked hard to buy that and this is ruining my summer," says Ross. " I went jet skiing on Thursday and I came home to lock it up, then I came home on Friday morning and my jet ski was gone."

Thomas Bent, who lives on Bittersweet Drive in Blackwood, had the same thing happen to him on Friday morning, right after his wife left the house around 7 a.m.

"They obviously know when people are home and had this planned," says Bent, adding that his trailer had a hitch lock and his WaveRunner had a separate cable lock.

But, the thieves managed to either release the locks or cut them and make off with the WaveRunner.

A third WaveRunner was stolen from a driveway in Blackwood around 4 a.m. on Friday morning.

Gloucester Township police are working to find surveillance footage of the theft and stepped up patrols this past weekend around homes where they saw personal watercraft and are warning residents to keep them out of sight or pinned behind other vehicles.

"Block them in with another vehicle use heavy locks, chains," says Capt. Brendan Barton. "Make it as inconvenient as possible for someone to steal them."

The thieves left one of Ross's life jackets but stole another as well as his water shoes, he is livid about being left high and dry.

As of now, they do not have a description of the thieves or their getaway vehicle.

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