Thieves tried to break in and steal the Land Rover of Gov. Phil Murphy's next-door neighbors in Middletown Sunday, according to the police report exclusively obtained by News 12.

Police say two men were seen trying to kick in the garage of the governor's neighbor around 3:30 p.m. Someone spotted them, and they sped off in a white BMW SUV.  

Upscale neighborhoods along Navesink River Road become targets for the thieves. It’s then just a quick ride to the Garden State Parkway through the towns before most of them get away, according to officials. 

“You never think it's going to happen to me,” says Joe Dicroce, of Shrewsbury. DiCroce knows all too well about car thefts. Since 2020, his BMW M3 was the target at least seven times.

Hearing about the latest attempt in the governor's neighborhood didn't shock Dicroce. Instead, he says it's time for action. 

“We would take laws that apply to adults and apply a version of them to people underage,” says state Sen. Declan O'Scanlon. 

O'Scanlon, along with Assembly Members Vicky Flynn and Gerry Scharfenberger, all continue to push for tougher laws, increased penalties for minors and bail reform modifications.

“If you're proactive with radioing ahead, setting up roadblocks, cutting off the avenue of escape,” says O'Scanlon. “You really can go at the willingness of these people to commit these crimes. And then once they're caught, you need to send a message that they're going to spend some time in jail."

DiCroce says he finally had enough of seeing would-be thieves on his Ring cameras both in Brielle and his new home in Shrewsbury - and got rid of the BMW.