How to foil a wheel or tire thief.

[Huney1]

When you have your new tires mounted put a zip lock bag inside each tire with your name, address, phone number, license plate number, make and model of car the tires and wheel were installed on. Include a statement you are the owner and ask them to call you collect if they aren't on the specified vehicle.

If they are stolen do a Police report and if you get a call saying they found your zip lock bag inside the tires fax a copy of your sales receipt and the Police report and ask them to call the local Police. If they don't have a fax then YOU call their local Police dept and explain what's happening and fax them your sales receipt and Police report. You should get your wheels and tires back and the owner of the car will be charged with posession of stolen property.

[Millermagic]

That would work as long as an honest person gets the tire and wheel.

[Johnny Mullet]

Hey man! I bought these 16" Focus SVT rims cheap! That piece of paper in the Ziplock is gonna dissappear!

[shorod]

I don't think I'd want to deal with the vibration that ziploc bag and paper floating around in the tire would likely cause. Seems easier to get security lugnuts. That will at least slow the thief down, and they will likely move on to the next Taurus that is likely sitting in the same parking garage.

-Rod

[corning_d3]

I'm glad I don't have that problem here. Rednecks tend to get REAL pissy when you steal their shit..

[my99cavy]

Originally Posted by corning_d3

I'm glad I don't have that problem here. Rednecks tend to get REAL pissy when you steal their shit..

haha isnt that the truth
But like someone else said, I dont think the whole name in a baggy will work considering the person who buys the wheel will most likely just throw it out because they got the wheel so cheap. just my

[KimMG]

Not a good idea to have something loose rubbing the inside of the tire.

[Psychopete]

Depends on the rims and where you live. I had 16" center lines on my Ranger all summer, and I live in a pretty bad part of town. No one messed with them, because they weren't desired. If I had chrome 22" rims, I would guarantee that they would be gone the next day. Though, my friend lives across town and his rusty Escort was stolen. Who in the hell would steal a $200 Escort? Best bet is a good alarm system.

[fielder]

A guy I worked with back in the late 70's thought he had the best idea to keep his wheels from being stolen. He put loctite on the lugs. He'd had one set stolen and said he like to see the look on the fools face trying to get these wheels. I'd like to have seen the look on that fools face the first time he had a flat and tried to change it.

[Huney1]

"Hey man! I bought these 16" Focus SVT rims cheap! That piece of paper in the Ziplock is gonna dissappear!" I don't want anything that isn't mine and if I ever had the same situation I would call them and get them back to the *rightful* owner.

"He put loctite on the lugs. He'd had one set stolen and said he like to see the look on the fools face trying to get these wheels. I'd like to have seen the look on that fools face the first time he had a flat and tried to change it." Good idea, but what happened when HE had a flat?

"Seems easier to get security lugnuts." There you go.

[Millermagic]

Originally Posted by fielder

A guy I worked with back in the late 70's thought he had the best idea to keep his wheels from being stolen. He put loctite on the lugs. He'd had one set stolen and said he like to see the look on the fools face trying to get these wheels. I'd like to have seen the look on that fools face the first time he had a flat and tried to change it.

Just have me tighten the lugs. I broke a good lug wrench trying to get a nut off.

[Psychopete]

Originally Posted by Huney1

You should get your wheels and tires back and the owner of the car will be charged with posession of stolen property.

Originally Posted by Huney1

I don't want anything that isn't mine and if I ever had the same situation I would call them and get them back to the *rightful* owner.

If that were the case, I would take the property to the dump and deny ever receiving the property. How could you ever know that they were stolen? I am too broke to turn down great deals, I could care less if it's stolen or not. I didn't steal it, and I don't intend to steal anything anytime soon.

I've had a mini-bike stolen from me when I was kid, luckily I had scratched my name under the engine in the paint. I seen some guy riding it down at a park, followed him home, and got a detective to get my property back. Who got charged? No one, the kid traded a Nintendo (original) for it, and nothing happened to the guy who actually stole it. The guy who stole it live about a half block away, and we suspected it was him. One thing I learned about the police, they're number one goal is to meet their ticket writing quota, they could care less about any type of theft.

Originally Posted by Huney1

"Seems easier to get security lugnuts." There you go.

I am pretty young, I know of people who steal rims, they have lots of keys, believe me.

Pete

[shorod]

Originally Posted by Psychopete

I am pretty young, I know of people who steal rims, they have lots of keys, believe me.

Pete

Yes, but the idea is the security lugnuts will slow them down, much more than thinking there could be a ziploc back inside the wheel/tire combo. If there are two cars with the same wheels sitting side by side, one has security lugs, the other does not, which do you think they'll go for? This is exactly the concept behind most security devices, they will cause the casual theif to go elsewhere. Sure, you can cut a steering wheel to remove The Club, but that takes time.

Bottom line: If a good theif wants something, they can get it. The enemy of a theif is time and attention. Do something to slow them down or possibly bring attention to them and they'll likely move on.

-Rod

[shorod]

I just checked out the link in the my99cavy's sig (www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/posting.php)

That was excellent! I think they should start showing that "film" in middle school!

-Rod

[Huney1]

"How could you ever know that they were stolen? I am too broke to turn down great deals, I could care less if it's stolen or not. I didn't steal it, and I don't intend to steal anything anytime soon."

It's called a sales receipt and before I bought anything from a stranger you better believe they'd have to show me a sales receipt where they bought and paid for it legal like.
"I could care less if it's stolen or not." HeHeHeHe . . . . I'd like to hear you tell that to the Judge and the excuse, "I didn't know it was stolen," won't fly one inch in court. Two counts; recieving stolen property and possesion of stolen property. See, if the man stops you and you have a bag of dope in the glove box and you say, I didn't know it was there, you're dog meat BECAUSE *YOU* are responsible for the car and everything in and on it including the tires and wheels.

Anyway, someone wants to sell you a set of wheels & tires worth a grand for $250. you would have to be brain dead to think they weren't hot. That is, unless you knew the person well and what circumstances motivated them to sell them so cheap. In any event, get a signed sales receipt with an address, phone number and drivers license number on it and you're good to go.

As you go through life, in all your business dealings of any kind, BE CAREFUL and don't get burned! Good news, gas went down to $2.29 a gal here and still dropping! Have a nice week end and drive safe.