Wheels stolen from 9 cars in 4 days in northwest Fresno neighborhood

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A man who lives near the intersection of Herndon and Polk in northwest Fresno was shocked to look out his front door Sunday morning and see his Toyota Corolla on cinder blocks.

"The cops woke us up at 5 in the morning to let us know that our tires and our rims were missing," says the man, who did not want to be identified.

Surveillance video shows someone approaching his home before the sun came up. They cover their face when they come into view of the camera, then head over to the Toyota Corolla and get to work removing all four tires with the help of another person.

It'll cost at least $1,000 to get replacements through insurance.

"The fact that we had to dish out our own money - that's the frustrating part," he says.

But the suspected thieves didn't stop there.

Around the corner, just a few houses down, another Toyota Corolla was stripped of its wheels in the early morning hours.

Fresno police say it's not clear if thieves are after the tires, rims, or both - but it's a trend they are noticing in northwest Fresno this month.

Fresno PD has received nine reports of wheel theft for the entire year - all nine of those thefts happened in a 4-day span in the same neighborhood near Herndon and Polk.

"We do believe these thefts are related just because of the short time frame that they have occurred in," says Fresno police Sgt. Diana Trueba Vega.

The department is urging any other victims of the crime to file a report with police.

As for the owner of this car, he says he's gotten the same advice from police, friends and family...

"They all tell me, get those wheel locks."

Wheel lock kits offer a little more peace of mind for those who can't park in a garage.

The kits can be purchased online or through a mechanic. One unique lug nut goes on each wheel that requires a special key, included in the kit, to remove.

Unfortunately, crimes like these are not unique to Fresno right now.

A new study from the National Insurance Crime Bureau shows thefts of vehicles, catalytic converters, and carjackings are on the rise.

According to that report, close to a million vehicles were stolen across the country in 2021 alone.