Thieves steal more tires and wheels from local dealership

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Repeat customers are widely appreciated in the business world and are often considered the lifeblood of many commercial endeavors.

Unless, of course, they are the type that have apparently made a return visit to an East Side Greencastle business the past couple of months.

For the second time in three months, thieves have hit the York Automotive dealership at 1501 Indianapolis Rd., stealing wheels and tires off new vehicles, Greencastle City Police reported.

"It was exactly two months to the date it happened the first time," a City Police spokesman said Tuesday.

Sometime after 5 p.m. Saturday and before 8:45 a.m. Sunday, two new 2011 vehicles and a 2012 truck were victimized, and an attempt was made to steal the wheels from a fourth vehicle.

The same thing had occurred back on Sept. 18 when wheel assemblies and tires were taken from three new vehicles sometime after the York business closed that Monday and before it reopened on Tuesday.

This time, a passerby who stopped on the York lot to look at a vehicle that caught his eye discovered the thefts just before 9 o'clock Sunday morning.

Greencastle Officer Darrel Bunten investigated and found that nearly $10,000 in tires and rims was taken in the latest incident.

Thieves took a set of Goodyear Eagle tires and five-point, star-shaped aluminum wheels from a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado. Total value was listed at $3,200.

They also made off with a set of Bridgestone tires and six-point, star-shaped polished aluminum wheels from a 2011 GMC Yukon. Value of those stolen items was also reported at $3,200.

Thieves took another set of Bridgestone tires and five-point, star-shaped polished aluminum wheels from a 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe, Officer Bunten reported. Again, the value of the stolen tires and wheels was listed at $3,200.

The nocturnal car lot visitors also entered a 2012 GMC Yukon by use of a slim jim or similar lock-out tool, stealing a standard quick tire-changing tool in the process.

However, they were ultimately unable to get the lugnuts off the wheels of the Yukon in an attempt to steal its custom tires and rims, Bunten reported.

The theft is still under investigation by GPD Dets. Randy Seipel and Michael Collins.

Anyone who may have seen suspicious activity on or around the York Automotive dealership late Saturday or early Sunday is asked to call GPD at 653-2925.

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  • Surprising to me since the police are sittng in their parking lot all the time. Security cameras people....really?

    -- Posted by usaalltheway on Wed, Nov 21, 2012, at 8:24 AM
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