Even security cameras didn’t thwart the brazen thieves who stole tires and rims from a 2016 Ford Explorer in Brownstown Township.
Police say it happened after 1 a.m. on May 4 in the 26000 block of Oakley Court. Home surveillance video shows two men approaching the SUV in the driveway and spray painting the camera. They carry on for the next 45 minutes, jacking up the vehicle, loosening all four wheels, and leaving the vehicle on landscaping bricks.
“When I found out I was kind of shocked, but yeah, it kind of scared me a little bit knowing that they were out there doing that in the middle of the night," said next-door neighbor Sherri Bronis.
She said her neighbors installed the cameras after catching thieves trying to do the same thing three years ago.
Brownstown Township Police Sgt. Bill Huddleston said these thefts are growing increasingly common and that the thieves are well-practiced.
"They’re well-prepared. They know what they’re doing and they know what they’re going to run in to," he said.
Thieves hit at least two more times in the same subdivision, and Huddleston said they're likely the same people. He also said the department has seen at least 10 similar tire thefts since January, and they're working with police in other parts of western Wayne County to solve the crimes.
Police are trying to identify the men in the Oakley Court incident - one is seen in a light-colored sweatsuit and a medical mask.
Huddleston said the best piece of advice he can give to homeowners is to park in their garage.
