Four thieves are behind bars after getting caught stealing wheels and tires from dozens of cars in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The notorious thieves would steal the parts right off parked cars in mere minutes, leaving long before the police arrived. 

The thieves are reportedly responsible for the theft of at least 25 sets of wheels and tires across the county

Miami-Dade law enforcement arrested a foursome of auto thieves after dozens of reports of stolen wheels and tires across the county. According to local authorities, victims reported at least 25 cases in less than one month.

“They backed into our driveway and did this in less than four minutes,” one victim told NBC News Miami. Fortunately, the victim’s Ring doorbell camera captured the crew in action as they stole his Toyota Corolla’s wheels as it sat in his driveway.

A Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office press release, police officers tracked the thieves to a local residence. A search of the home revealed many stolen sets of wheels and tires, along with three of the thieves. The MDSO arrested a fourth person for suspicion of dealing in stolen goods. 

You can make yourself a more difficult target for thieves

Don’t fret, dear reader. You need not resign yourself to wheel and tire theft. For starters, criminals are opportunists. In short, layers of security can be an effective deterrent. Do you have a garage or a gate you can park behind? Don’t be lazy; use that security feature.

What’s more, if you have something valuable, like nice wheels, don’t advertise it. If you show pictures of your sought-after car components on social media, it’s that much easier for malicious parties to track where to steal from you.

Finally, consider investing in a wheel lock. Your typical lug nuts are extremely easy to remove using an impact tool or similar device. However, wheel locks replace the standard patterns with unique grooves. While not infallible, a set of wheel locks might be enough to prompt a thief to move on to an easier target.