Dig car out of snow! Wheels GONE!

[Zacha341]

I have been a Detroiter all my life, but if one thing [[or should I say "things") will finally get me up out-of-here is the increasing theft, scavenging, stripping and scrappin' !

While the flakes were falling and people were hold up in their homes, on the east side [[coming to a west side street next - no areas is exempt) perps where bent over, knee deep in it, helping themselves to parked car wheels!

Wheels Stolen from Vehicles in Detroit:

"Crooks hit more than 30 cars...."

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news...les-in-detroit

[Meddle]

That's what garages are for.

[epiphany]

That's what garages are for.

Not everyone has a garage... Was that comment really necessary?

[DC48080]

That's what garages are for.

You obviously don't have any idea how ignorant that comment is. You must not understand that not everyone has a garage. In fact, many people don't even have driveways.

Grow up!

[Bearinabox]

See, if we had transit, people wouldn't need to worry about this kind of shit.

[[Sorry, couldn't resist).

[English]

Very frustrating.

No, garages will not stop theft, as thousands of Detroiters will attest.

However, if transit brings new jobs, it actually might stop some of the scrapping culture in the city. No, that doesn't excuse the complete lack of ethics and morals of thieves and petty criminals, but whenever the economic situation improves in the city, the crime rate tends to fall.

[EastsideAl]

That's what garages are for.

I often think that Meddle's name is appropriately precise, and that's what he's here to do - meddle with us - because he's never actually been to our city. This is a comment that only someone who had never been here could make. This incident happened just a few blocks from where I live. There are no driveways in this neighborhood, and garages, where they exist, are situated on the alley, so believe me your car is better off parked out at the curb. In fact, in all the years I've lived on the east side of the City of Detroit I've never had either one of those things, a garage or a driveway.

[kraig]

The best thing to do is get wheel locks. Unfortunately, so many people keep the keys to the locks in the glove compartment, that the criminals almost automatically bust the windows in order to check.

[EastsideAl]

I've had my wheels stolen before despite having wheel locks. The thieves simply bust the studs off, which cost me a whole lot more than if they had just taken the wheels.

[One Shot]

I've had my wheels stolen before despite having wheel locks. The thieves simply bust the studs off, which cost me a whole lot more than if they had just taken the wheels.

How could replacing a wheel stud or even four cost more than a new set of wheels and tires? Someone bent you over if you paid that much. A wheel stud is easy to change on just about any vehicle.

[R8RBOB]

I can feel these people pain. I remember when I had my tires slashed on two separate occasions back in 2005. It was a pain having to buy tires [[the two street-side tires) twice because some jackass wanted to stick it to me and others.

As for stealing the wheels well since the city started cracking down on the scrap yards for buying copper the thieves have turned to find other sources of metal for their hustle.


http://r8rbob.wordpress.com

[Meddle]

I had three houses in town. All had garages. I wouldn't have a house without one.

[DetroitHabitater]

The same '2 wheel' guys hit the west side about 2 weeks ago. They attempted to steal my girlfriends wheel but she had a wheel lock. Apparently they are morons and decided to take the other 4 lugnuts off first. I got up and drove the car out to get coffee without noticing. I got back and only then realized it. That really pissed me off that i could of been in a serious accident over that.

While people do break into cars to get wheel lock keys, it is definitely another layer deterrent. And these guys area apparently too scared to even go on the sidwalk side of the street.

They must have a large enclosed vehicle to harvest all these wheels.

[kraig]

How could replacing a wheel stud or even four cost more than a new set of wheels and tires? Someone bent you over if you paid that much. A wheel stud is easy to change on just about any vehicle.

Uh, you do realize that if someone went through the trouble of busting the wheel locks off, they probably stole the tires. Since that was the reason for busting the wheel locks in the first place.

Therefore, you have to add the cost of the stolen tires to the cost of replacing the wheel locks and the probable damage that was done to the wheels and the possible damage that was done to everything connected to the wheels as well.

[Meddle]

It really isn't that hard to get wheel locks off. They make special tools for them so service shops don't have ot break the studs. They also make special oversized sockets to remove bolts where the heads are stripped.

Not something your average neighborhood knucklehead would have, but if they were serious about it at all, they could have the right tools. Taking that many in one night would probably mean they had a truck and tools.

[EastsideAl]

How could replacing a wheel stud or even four cost more than a new set of wheels and tires? Someone bent you over if you paid that much. A wheel stud is easy to change on just about any vehicle.

I had to replace the stolen wheels and tires, hacked-off wheel studs, a couple of hubs that were bent up by the violent hacking off of their studs, brake rotors deformed by being dropped onto the street, and an alignment to get everything back straight again..

[casscorridor]

I think if you have a garage, that is the safest place for your car. If you don't, park on the street that is busiest. If you live on a dark, low-traffic street, move your car to a well lit, higher traffic street. Or if you are in an apartment building with secure parking or a parking garage, park it there. Better than it being out in the elements. There is also the option of simply not having a car!! The bus doesn't get its tires stolen.

[ghein]

The bus doesn't get its tires stolen.

Not yet at least :-)

[Ravine]

I had three houses in town. All had garages. I wouldn't have a house without one.

I hope somebody steals your goddam garage.

[Russix]

Did anybody ever think to hide some gps tracking units in the wheels of a few decoy cars in neighborhoods that have a high incident rate of wheel theft? Or investigate and convict the retailers who frequently buy and resell wheels that are stolen?

[Det_ard]

I think if you have a garage, that is the safest place for your car. If you don't, park on the street that is busiest. If you live on a dark, low-traffic street, move your car to a well lit, higher traffic street. Or if you are in an apartment building with secure parking or a parking garage, park it there. Better than it being out in the elements. There is also the option of simply not having a car!! The bus doesn't get its tires stolen.

Or just move the fuck out of the ghetto.

[rodj44137]

How different the morals of thieves [[and society) are now days. My father came off second shift at the Ford plant at 9 and Mound only to find that all four wheels on his 2-week old '53 Plymouth were gone. But the crooks at least left the car up on four jackstands!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bearinabox]

How different the morals of thieves [[and society) are now days. My father came off second shift at the Ford plant at 9 and Mound only to find that all four wheels on his 2-week old '53 Plymouth were gone. But the crooks at least left the car up on four jackstands!!!!!!!!!!!!

I doubt the fact that they're using milk crates these days has as much to do with morals as the fact that plastic has no scrap value.

[rodj44137]

Well, that's still better than the guys that simply drop the car onto its chassis!

[DC48080]

I had three houses in town. All had garages. I wouldn't have a house without one.

Well guess what; some people are not as fortunate as you are. Some people cannot afford to live in an area with driveways or garages.

You really need to grow up.