Hey all, Just wanted to give you guys a heads up, the newer Ford Fusions, Taurus and Ford Edge rims are being stolen like something I've never seen around SE Michigan. I know 3 people hit within the last 6 months, and they did my neighbors Edge 2 nights ago. These guys move fast and are good at it. They use the landscaping bricks you normally put around your bushes in the front of your house to crib up the cars. I don't know if they're getting shipped to Mexico, Canada, or staying local but there has to be a big demand for them. The thieves are covering a huge area and it has me doubting it is the same group of guys. The weird thing is it is Ford factory rims only. They don't give a shit about anything else. I had a $800 generator in the back of my truck they could have easily stole, and they left it. Anybody else seeing this in their area? I'm in a pretty good neighborhood......I thought. My other 2 friends are in nice areas as well.
camaro wheels were big around here for a bit...but usually Honda Accord, Honda Fit and Maxima wheels are the heavy theft ones.
I don't think so. It is only Ford rims, there were plenty of other aluminum rims they could have got. The scrap yards around here have really cracked down on stolen stuff, unless it is an inside job. You get fingerprinted, they save a pic of your ID, and there is a daily cash limit now.
One of our sales just leased a Fusion (from the dealer in Waterford) and the dealer had already installed wheel locks. My only guess is to keep the wheels on the car while it's on the lot.
They get the ones with the wheel locks too. Gorno Ford by me had a guy stealing them right on the lot. Broad daylight.
Jesus, what is it 1979 again? And yea, inside job is my guess. I know of a few salvage yards around here that aren't exactly known for legal activities. I'm sure old Joe here wouldn't ask two questions about where those wheels came from:
When I first moved into my apartment complex I got a flat on my F150. I took the spare out from under the truck and swapped it out. I threw the flat tire and rim in the bed so I could get a new tire on when I had the time. Next morning, it was gone. I thought maybe I could claim it on my insurance so I called the cops to make a report. The officer pretty much told me that crackheads drive around in groups and steal anything that can be scrapped at any price. Even though I had full coverage, my insurance wouldn't pay shit.
They're pulling this shit in Milwaukee too. I'd love to hear about one of these douches taking a golf club to the back of the head. The other thing they love to steal....your car registration sticker off the tag. Then our lovely parking checkers ticket the car. Unbelievable!!
And here I was thinking everyone with wheel locks was a paranoid idiot. I can't believe this actually happens much less to stock rims. I've never had, nor do I know anyone who has ever had rims stolen off a car.
Wheel lock will keep random teens from getting your wheels. Not gonna stop the pro's, they'll have master key sets for your vehicle.
guess the market on emissions equipment tanked? Whole wheel sets... that should be a pretty easy ring to crack. Put a tracker or tracker device in wheel set(s) and put your bait out. Did anyone check CL for "New wheel set" sales? :crackhead:
Scrappers hit us hard around here. They took an entire portable out building from my neightbor at the shop in broad daylight on a sunday, it was 12 feet x 20 feet. When they hit my cargo trailer they took it all. Lawn chairs, ez ups, my inverter, spare tire.... shit they even cut out all of my trailer lights wiring for the copper.
Depending on what they are factory wheels can bring some big coin. I doubt these are headed to the scrap yard. A few years back over 400 catalytic converters were stolen in the town I live by in less than a week, none of the scrap yards saw a thing.
