WHITING, N.J. – A Whiting family says their sense of security has been shattered after three masked thieves stole their son’s dirt bike from their yard earlier this month—the second such theft reported in the area within days.
The incident occurred around midnight on December 8, when three suspects wearing masks and gloves walked up the family’s side yard, peered through their windows, and removed a motorcycle belonging to their son, Ocean. According to the family, the thieves used bolt cutters and pry bars to bypass security, lifted the tarp covering the bike, and wheeled it down the driveway before loading it into a truck and fleeing.
This week, a second brazen theft was reported at a garage nearby where two bikes and a pickup truck were stolen.
The family said the theft was caught on home surveillance cameras, showing the men acting with precision and purpose.
“They came prepared,” the family said. “They didn’t just take Ocean’s motorcycle—they robbed us of the comfort of feeling safe in our own home.”
Ocean, who had owned the bike for only five weeks, had decorated it with a Christmas bow shortly before the theft. The family said the motorcycle was uninsured, leaving him with no way to recover the loss.
“He’s left feeling sad, broken, and disheartened,” they wrote, adding that they have started a community fundraiser to help him replace the bike and restore his faith in humanity.
In a separate report this week, another Whiting resident said two motorcycles and a truck were stolen after thieves broke into his locked garage, raising concerns that a group of organized criminals may be targeting the community.
Local police have not confirmed whether the two incidents are connected but said the investigations remain active. Residents are being urged to secure valuables and report any suspicious activity immediately.