LINCOLN PARK — A little more than a week ago, a Lincoln Park resident came out to his SUV in the morning to find it missing all four wheels.
It turns out, he isn't the only one who's had his wheels stolen on the North Side lately.
Ald. Michele Smith (43rd) warned residents of wheel thefts in the neighborhood last week in an email.
She said the thieves are targeting dark-colored cars with larger tires parked on the street. The tires are typically stolen late at night or early in the morning. Thieves then leave the car on cinder blocks, she added.
Mina Bloom says there are a few ways to protect your car:
A spokeswoman for Smith's office said their office has received two recent reports of car tire theft in the 43rd ward.
But based on individual reports, that number could be higher.
Dan Hinkel, a reporter for the Tribune, tweeted that his wheels were stolen Friday.
Someone stole all four wheels off my car in the middle of the night. Pretty special. pic.twitter.com/4SxddRko6N
— Dan Hinkel (@dhinkel) October 2, 2015Lincoln Park resident Jon Oppenheimer, who is neighbors with the owners of the aforementioned SUV that had its wheels stolen — and a parking ticket — in the 1100 block of West Montana Street, said it happened to someone else recently, too.
He shared a picture of another car without wheels in Lincoln Park:
[Courtesy Jon Oppenheimer]
Chicago Police spokesmen couldn't immediately provide the number of wheel thefts that have occurred in the Town Hall District lately. But at least one local auto shop has seen the carnage.
Ramiro Villevas, three-year employee at Rodriguez Auto Shop, 2439 N. Ashland Ave., said a customer came in about a month ago after his wheels were stolen.
And within the last four months, he said he's noticed at least a few cars with missing wheels put up on cinder blocks on the North Side while he's been out and about.
The police department recommends buying locking lug nuts for individual tires to deter thieves from stealing them, Smith said.
If your wheels are stolen, tweet at us at @DNAinfoCHI.
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