MOORESVILLE, Ind. — Thieves strike two Mooresville automotive companies, making off with hundreds of dollars worth of used tires and wheels.
The latest hit happened at Valley Motors. Ownership said the thieves stole thirty to forty drivable used tires and wheels from the used car dealer.
Their surveillance cams caught the crooks pulling up in a Budget rental truck and swiping the parts. Unfortunately, the cameras mostly caught their getaway.
“If you had to replace them with new tires you’d be looking at $5,000 to $7,000 probably,” said Valley Motor’s General Manager David Detamore, “I would imagine there was more than one of them. A tire by itself is 15 lbs. maybe 20.”
Detamore said Mooresville Police told him the theft is connected to a similar used tire theft at nearby Marino’s Automotive. Surveillance cameras there caught two people stealing used tires from a rack outside of their building.
The pair is also using Budget rental truck. The owner of the company reiterated that police believe the two crimes are from the same people. He said they only made off with used tires at his shop.
Detamore said his company tried to do their own sleuth work, and called Budget for help.
“We were hoping they had GPS units on their units, but they said they don’t put GPS on their trucks,” Detamore said.
Valley Motors believes the thieves may be selling the tires and wheels elsewhere. Dispatchers in Mooresville said Police are looking over the surveillance, and searching for any leads.