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Police have responded to several reports of rims and tires stolen from cars across Staten Island in recent years, with Honda sedans often being targeted. (Staten Island Advance)
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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- They’re fast, they’re nearly silent, and some say they’re ingenious.
Thieves targeting rims and tires across Staten Island in recent years -- a majority of the time targeting Honda Accords -- have mastered their craft, experts say.
“Years ago, it was a big thing to steal air bags,” said Anthony Destefano, owner of Finest Towing in Travis. “Now, it’s rims. I guess they have an outlet for rims.”
Earlier this week, a homeowner in Huguenot learned first hand how devastatingly efficient the thieves can be, when he discovered his tires had been snatched overnight when he went to leave for work in the morning.
“My wife was up with the dog...at like 3 a.m.” he said. “And my dog barks at a whisper.”
Destefano said he’s not surprised, based on his experience responding to similar incidents over the years involving police and distraught car owners.
“How they do the rims is crazy," he said.
THE PROCESS
A quick and quiet job is accomplished in part with the use of battery-powered impact guns to remove the lug nuts, according to a manager of a tire shop on the East Shore, who asked that the business not be mentioned due to the nature of the article.
“It’s not like an air gun,” he said. “If you were sleeping inside your house, you wouldn’t hear it.”
He said wheel locks can sometimes be helpful for certain Chrysler and Dodge models, but the locks for Honda Accords are designed in a way in which they easily can be broken.
“They’re pretty expensive, and they’re the easiest to grab,” he said.
A PROFITABLE RACKET
Tire thefts over the years on Staten Island have included Honda sedans targeted in 2018 and 2015 in Sunnyside, and a spate of thefts in 2017. Experts say vehicles across the city have been found propped up on cinderblocks, milk crates and, in one case, a flower pot.
A police source told the Advance in 2017 that the crime has evolved over the past 30 years, with crooks making more money by selling pricey rims, and victims getting stuck with bills in excess of $1,000 to repair damage and replace the tires.
Speaking in regard to cash-based, used auto parts dealers across the city, Destefano said the perpetrator could get $2,000 for a set of rims worth $8,000 or $9,000.
Then, the business could turn around and sell them for $3,000.
Several businesses on Staten Island advertise buying and selling auto parts for cash.
According to NYPD data, car thefts across New York City have plummeted over the past 20 years, from about 35,000 in 2000 to about 5,000 in 2019. Grand larcenies, which would include the theft of car parts, have dipped slightly, from about 50,000 to about 43,000.
The data, however, doesn’t distinguish what percentage of the grand larcenies involved rims and tires.
The homeowner in Huguenot said he had to confirm that his insurance covered the theft, but he likely would still have to cover a $500 deductible, not including the lug nuts, which he said cost him about $60.
That incident remains under investigation.
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It’s the last thing you’d expect: you come out of work after a long day, and find your car propped up on bricks or blocks.
Where are your tires? Although it’s well-known that car break-ins occur, not many people worry about their tires being taken. So why are thieves stealing tires from cars, and how can you keep it from happening to you?
Geico says that thieves are stealing tires for a very simple reason; they’re easy to steal. It doesn’t take long for a person to steal tires off of a car. Geico says that “with a jack and a battery-operated tool—an impact wrench with a lot of torque—can pull off a set of wheels in 10 minutes.” Sometimes people are working in groups to make this even more efficient; they work in teams and jack up the entire car at once, then take off the tires two or even four at a time.
Anything that’s not difficult to steal and can be worth a decent amount of money is at risk of being stolen.
This leads to another reason that thieves are targeting tires; they’re worth some money. People are always looking for good deals on tires. In addition to buying tires on ebay or other websites, people often sell tires they don’t need on social media or websites like Craislist. This makes it easy for someone who has stolen tires to sell them without garnering attention.
The upside of buying tires secondhand, or from a person rather than a dealer or shop, is the savings. The upside of selling tires through alternative means is profit – Geico says that a set of tires can go for $1,000-$5,000 or more.
That’s a pretty serious incentive for someone looking to make quick money.
On top of the profit, there’s not as much risk as selling other stolen goods. Tires aren’t traceable – they don’t have any tracking numbers or IDs on them that make them easy to identify after they’ve been removed from a car.
Related
If you’d like to save your tires from being stolen (and who wouldn’t), an important step you can take is to park in a well-lit area in a highly trafficked place. Sometimes you may be parking somewhere fairly remote, like a train station parking lot. Try to park in a spot where your car is visible from the street or by people walking to and from the train.
If it’s nighttime, try to park under a light, to make your car a less attractive target.
You can also buy lug nut locks. Geico says these will cost you $100 total for your four tires. You can either put them on yourself or have a mechanic put them on for you.
You can turn your wheels to a 45-degree angle. This makes it harder for thieves to get into the tire to remove them. If you can park in an area that makes it harder for a thief to have access to your car, that can also help prevent someone from stealing your tires.
You can also buy an alarm with a sensor that will go off if thieves try to jack up your car to remove your tires. These sensors are attached to the wheels themselves.
If there’s been a rash of tire thieves in your neighborhood, or you just really like having tires on your car, keeping these tips in mind can keep you from being in the position of discovering your car undriveable, and your tires long gone.
Photo: AvtoVzglyad
its individual parts are not worth it.
The same wheels, which have also risen in price, are at particular risk. And if there is a threat, then it is necessary to develop protection against it. The AvtoVzglyad portal has figured out how to save your movable property and not be left without wheels. nine0009
Efim Rozkin
Cases of theft of car wheels have increased significantly. The reason for this was the sanctions and breaks in supply chains. Naturally, ordinary people have become extreme, who now have to solve three problems at once: finding a spare part in a shortage, the cost of consumables and spare parts that has grown many times over, and more frequent cases of theft.
Several categories of auto parts fell under the attackers' sights at once. And all of them, with certain skills, knowledge and tools, are quite easy to dismantle. nine0009
Thus, headlights, lights, rear-view mirrors, bumpers, and, of course, wheels leave their homes in the car. The latter can be dismantled by attackers into tires and wheels, and sold separately.
So if there is a buyer, go to the new owner in the collection. However, be that as it may, this does not make it easier for law-abiding citizens. On their head, in addition to car maintenance and repair, the search for new wheels falls down. And given the increased price tag on them and the shortage, it is now not so easy to do this. nine0009
And here a logical question arises: how to protect the wheels from theft?
Photo: Drive2
Under the scrutiny of car thieves, of course, cars with new tires. And if they are worn on original discs, then stealing is a sweet, and most importantly, minute matter. By the way, in order to blow out the car, professionals will need no more than 10 minutes. And when working as a team - even less. And how to deal with it?
The most common method of wheel theft prevention is the installation of security bolts. These are bolts that require a special socket for a wheelbrace to tighten and unscrew. Without it, unscrewing the "secret" is almost impossible.
nine0009
The pattern of the head of the security bolt can be varied. These are polyhedra; and an asterisk with a special size of rays; and a hidden head, the working edges of which are recessed into an absolutely smooth outline. Such an ordinary gas wrench cannot be torn off. And to unscrew this bolt, you will need the so-called internal key. In general, there are a great many types of bolts with a secret.
And yet, secrets are not the solution to all problems. For those who are professionally engaged in theft, there is a solution for every “cunning” bolt. More precisely, these decisions are a whole suitcase. If someone likes your wheels, they will definitely be stolen. First, the attackers examine the security bolts in order to be sure to pick up the right tool. And then, to take the wheels away is a matter of time. An unyielding "secret" can even be broken, after unscrewing all the bolts. But what if it is not possible to save the wheels in this way? nine0009
Photos from open sources
There are ways.
First, the most reliable of them is to park your car in paid parking. Cameras, security, a fenced area - all this significantly reduces the risk that you will be left without wheels.
However, if the need forces you to leave the car in a variety of places, then you need to do it right. For example, when choosing a parking spot, preference should be given to one with good lighting, as well as office buildings or shops equipped with cameras. In this case, the best option would be parking spaces with a high curb. By pressing one side of the car to such a curb, you deprive intruders of the opportunity to substitute a jack under the bottom. Thus, at least two wheels will remain in place. And even that’s all, because the lack of wheels, firstly, raises questions from the buyer, and secondly, few people simply need it. nine0009
Having CCTV signs in your car can also save the life of your wheels. However, it is best if, instead of fake signs and dummies of DVRs, a camera is actually installed in the car, and even better, a good, and most importantly, sensitive alarm system with feedback.
Wheel protection requires complex solutions. Therefore, try to pay attention to all of them. Put good expensive security bolts with protection against unscrewing with adjustable and gas wrenches, as well as power screwdrivers (or better, two different sets of "secrets"). Install a high-quality alarm system with feedback and all kinds of sensors. Park your car in well-lit areas and where there are cameras. Take care of your valuable property. nine0009
Which of the "Chinese" is cooler?
19951
Which of the "Chinese" is cooler?
19951
tire service
Wheels are something that can usually be stolen from any car, regardless of who owns it - a teacher, a policeman, a driving instructor in a ZAO. And, despite the fact that this situation is better than theft, it is still unpleasant to spend your money a second time and feel ripped off.
Therefore, it is worth taking several actions that may save the motorist from this situation.
Of course, if you make your living from a car, such as a driving instructor on a machine, then you are definitely better off leaving the car in a garage or in a paid parking lot. This is the very first principle of the safety of the wheels, and the entire car as a whole. And more tips ...
1) Paid parking lots or garages only. This is the main thing, if you park your car near the house, you not only give more opportunities to intruders, but also attract vandals. It is quite possible that the neighboring teenagers, having drunk too much, may decide to go for a drive. And when they fail, they will cut your wheels out of harm.
2) Use special protection, motorists also call them "secrets". These are special fasteners with unusual heads that cannot be unscrewed with a regular set of keys. Of course, even such precautions can be dealt with by knocking them down, for example, with something heavy.
However, thieves usually try to get by with the simplest options, and your car will be safe. nine0009
3) Park correctly. Try to park anywhere so that the passenger door, and indeed the entire side opposite the driver, is close to something, for example, to the wall. This will prevent robbers from removing all the wheels, and they rarely remove part of the kit. Also a good way to protect yourself and protect the wheels.
4) Try to park the car, if it is not a parking lot, in direct line of sight from the window. When the car is under the windows, thieves usually try to bypass it. After all, most often they need a set of wheels, and you may not have time to remove it. nine0009
5) Install a special alarm on your car that will monitor the car's tilt. This is an ideal way to keep the thieves away, because as soon as the car shakes (for example, they put a jack under it, or remove the first wheel without a jack). The cost of such an alarm is not much higher than the usual one.
