FLORHAM PARK, New Jersey (WABC) — A woman is asking the public for help finding her dog after her car was stolen with the dog inside in New Jersey.

The dog, Bauer, is only three months old and was inside the BMW when it was stolen.

The owner, Jaclyn Katz, ran into CVS and left the car running to keep the puppy warm, but she took her phone and key fob for the car with her.

“It was freezing out, so I left my car running to keep him warm. I did not leave the key inside the car. Went inside for my prescription came out. My car was gone,” Jaclyn said.

It happened around 5 p.m. on Monday night.

The thief jumped in the car and drove off.

“My husband and my son were at hockey practice so I figured I’d just take the dog with me. He doesn’t like to be left alone, he’s still a baby,” Katz said.

She thought taking the key fob inside the store with her would prevent someone from being able to drive off with the car.

“Don’t ever leave your car running, don’t ever leave the key fobs in it. Even too close to the car, some of the cars will activate even if the car is close to the fob without being in it,” Captain Brian Ford with the Florham Park Police Department said.

Captain Ford said there have been three car thefts in the past two and a half weeks, all similar situations, but no dogs were taken.

If the car is running even if it’s locked, a thief can jump in, drive off, and create a key later.

“It’s not that difficult to re-key a car. To reprogram key fobs or an actual key if the car is still using the actual keys,” Ford said.

Katz said the family had just gotten Bauer for Christmas after losing their 13-year-old family dog Rufus around Thanksgiving.

The family says they don’t care about the car, just Bauer.

“We love our dog. We don’t care, we just want our dog back. You can have the car, we don’t care, no questions, we just want our dog back,” Katz said.

Police say the GPS on the car was ripped out in Newark on Monday night and the car and plates were spotted in the Bronx.

“You can have the car, please just give me our dog back,” Katz said.

The family is hoping someone who knows where the dog is will reach out to the Florham Park Police Department.

* Get Eyewitness News Delivered

* Follow us on YouTube

* More local news

* Send us a news tip

* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts

Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News

Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.

From Camden and Cherry Hill to Trenton and the Jersey Shore, what about life in New Jersey do you want WHYY News to cover? Let us know.

New Jersey Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill will begin her four-year term Tuesday as the state faces an affordable housing crisis. She said making the state more affordable does not happen without making housing more affordable.

During her campaign, she called on the state to “work collaboratively with local governments on the conversion of underused office parks, strip malls, and industrial properties into homes, transit-oriented development, and mixed-use projects, which increases housing inventory while minimizing sprawl.”

That strategy has worked well for other states, according to John Boyd Jr., principal of The Boyd Company, a corporate site selection firm.

“It’s going to create new development opportunities,” he said, adding that the company expects to see that trend “continue to occur in the months and years ahead.”

Adam Gordon, executive director of the Fair Share Housing Center, said he is “pretty hopeful” that Sherrill can oversee the conversion of underutilized commercial and industrial properties.

He said a 2024 law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy that required municipalities to update their master plan and zoning provided incentives to reuse office parks and strip malls.

The plans still must be compliant with a series of court decisions that ensures each municipality builds their “fair share” of affordable housing known as the Mt. Laurel Doctrine.

“We’re seeing a lot more compliance with the law a lot quicker,” Gordon said. “I’m very optimistic that we’re going to see a lot of that redevelopment happen under these plans.”

Boyd, however, points out that states like Texas and Idaho are able to build homes faster because they have fewer regulations, unlike New Jersey.

“You have 560 plus municipalities, that’s 560 plus zoning and permitting systems that companies and developers need to navigate and 560 plus tax climates that companies need to navigate through,” he added.

Boyd says streamlining regulations will help New Jersey build homes faster.

Gordon, who was a volunteer on Sherrill’s transition team, hopes that the Legislature takes that up in the new session. He said cutting red tape is a much-needed “bold action” to address the housing crisis.

“I think we have to shake up business as usual and this presumption that we can have endless regulatory processes and sacrosanct home rule,” he said. “A lot of those processes are 50, 100 years old and they’re not responding to the realities of how bad it’s gotten for so many New Jersey families.”

CAMDEN, N.J. (WPVI) — A neighborhood cleanup in Camden turned into a snow and ice removal effort Monday as volunteers gathered in the Fairview Village neighborhood to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and recognize his historical ties to the city.

The day of service brought together residents, local officials and New Jersey Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill, who joined volunteers scraping ice from sidewalks and walkways despite the winter weather.

Among the volunteers was Clinton Douglas, a Georgia Pacific employee, who said Dr. King’s legacy continues to have a personal impact.

“His efforts directly affected me, and I appreciate it. Anything I can do to give back, that’s what I’ll do,” Douglas said.

Sherrill, shoveling alongside community members, noted King’s connection to Camden during his early years.

“He lived in Camden during his years as a student at Crozier Theological Seminary from 1948 to 1951,” Sherrill said.

Local elected officials also participated.

Camden County Commissioner Colleen Bianco Bezich attended the event with her family, calling the day meaningful both personally and communally.

“It means everything as a parent just to be able to share this with my child and to be here with community members, neighbors and family to say, ‘We are a community,’” Bezich said.

Her child, Luca Bezich of Haddonfield, said, “I like shoveling snow, and I like doing stuff with my mom.”

Other volunteers echoed the importance of working together on a day dedicated to service.

Crystal Wessel of Haddon Heights said the conditions did not deter participants.

“Regardless of how cold it is or what’s going on, we just need to be out here meeting each other, talking to each other and helping each other out however we can,” Wessel said.

Before joining the cleanup, Sherrill spoke about her priorities as she prepares to be sworn into office.

“Begin right away to work to drive down costs for people across the state. Here in Camden, I’ve heard a lot of concern about housing prices as well,” Sherrill said.

She was also asked about Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in New Jersey, as tensions flared in Minneapolis between ICE agents and protesters.

“I plan to continue to enforce the immigrant trust directive, which I’ve committed to ensuring people in New Jersey know that our police force protects and serves them and we’re keeping our streets safe,” Sherrill said.

Sherrill also pledged to work with the city of Camden to bring more resources to recognize Dr. King’s history in the city.

Governor-elect Sherrill is scheduled to be sworn in on Tuesday in Newark.