NewsWest 9
ODESSA/CRANE COUNTY - More and more Odessans are waking up to find their cars on cinder blocks. The tire thieves are still at large.
So far, there have been at least 15 wheel and tire robberies just this year. This is on top of at least 70 between June and December of 2014. That's the reason why local agencies are collaborating to put these criminals behind bars.
"Somebody, somewhere had to have seen something," Steve LeSueur, Public Information Officer for the Odessa Police Department, said.
Police believe several suspects are working together to steal tires off vehicles in the middle of the night.
Odessa Police say these thieves are targeting GMC Sierras and GMC Yukon's with 20-inch factory wheels. The reason as to why these are the hot commodity remains a mystery.
"We made a couple of arrests back in December, however, since then, it's not ending. It's continuing again and it needs to stop," LeSueur said.
The Crane County Sheriff's Office is also reporting a tire theft, which is why the two agencies have teamed up to find those responsible.
Police recommend as a precaution that you write down the serial number of your tire for safe keeping. That way, if anything were to happen, it's easier for them to track it down.
"When there is no information such as the serial number, it makes it extremely difficult to recover [the tires]," LeSueur said.
Victims who did not wish to speak on camera say they've seen multiple tire thefts near the intersection of 16th Street and Coronado. Neighbors who live nearby say they have since purchased security systems in case the criminal or criminals return.
"If it is determined that there are several individuals working on this, there is always a possibility they could be charged with engaging in organized criminal activity," LeSueur said.
If engaged as a group in these crimes, that means more time behind bars.
The suspects' vehicle is described as a tan or white Chevy Silverado.
