Tire Thieves Strike in Quincy, Massachusetts

Thieves are targeting cars in packed parking lots while owners are sleeping and swiping tires right off their vehicles.

It happened twice in Quincy, Massachusetts, Monday night, prompting police to take notice of what they say has become a disturbing trend.

At 290 Quarry St., Luis Mata walked out to see all four tires were stolen off of his brand new Chevy Camaro.

"I had my wallet and my computer inside and they didn't do anything with that," Mata said. "But just the wheels are around $4000."

Mata was not the only one who woke up to missing tires Tuesday. The same thing happened to a Toyota Corolla at 150 Quarry St.

Quincy Police say it is a crime they are seeing more often. Roughly 200 tires have been stolen off of 50 vehicles so far this year.

"We believe it is the same group working this whole area doing all of these thefts," Lt. Jack Sullivan said. "They may hit Quincy for a week or so and not come back for a month or two while they are hitting other cities and towns."

Police say the thieves make off the wheels in minutes, making them tough to track down. They have stepped up their patrols in the parking lots that have been hit in the past, mainly large apartment buildings where there is a lot of foot traffic.

Police say Hondas and Toyotas are targeted the most due to how popular those tires are. They are easy to re-sell and nearly impossible to track.

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