Police Probe Series of Car Break-Ins in Englewood Cliffs

A cluster of parked cars had their windows smashed and contents pilfered over a two-hour period Saturday night, Englewood Cliffs police said.

Chief Michael Cioffi said five cars of varying makes were broken into between 7:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. in the Sylvan Avenue parking lot used by Bally Total Fitness and Picnic Garden, a Korean barbecue business. Both gym and restaurant patrons suffered break-ins.

Cioffi said they've dealt with break-ins in that lot in the past, but nothing recently.

"This came out of the blue," he said, speculating that the burglar or crew of burglars may have been watching as people entered the gym or restaurant and then targeted their vacated cars.

Police aren't sure what object, if any, was used to shatter the car's windows and will continue to investigate.