Wheels stolen off vehicles in several towns south of Boston

WALPOLE, Mass. – Police are investigating a brazen theft trend that has left several people stranded just a short time after leaving their vehicles.

Police in Walpole, Foxborough and other communities are investigating after thieves stole the wheels off vehicles, and one victim said locking lug nuts weren’t enough to protect his vehicle.

“They did it in broad daylight. Its brazen to do it during the day with people around,” Steve said.

Steve had been at work for a short day, but when he arrived at the Walpole train station in the early afternoon he found all four wheels had been stolen off his Chevy Silverado.

“There’s a lot of people like me who try to go to work and pay their bills get ahead the last thing you’re thinking of is getting home on from the train and not being able to drive home because your vehicle has been vandalized,” he said.

Steve’s wheels were secured with locking lug nuts, but the thieves smashed through his back window to get the key from his glove box.

“These guys know to bust out the back window because it doesn’t set off the alarm,” he said.

One day earlier, the wheels were stolen off a parked car at the 99 Restaurant in Foxborough while the family was inside eating.

A regional team of detectives is now working around the clock to solve the recent uptick targeting mainly newer model Honda, Acura, Toyota and Lexus vehicles

While authorities recommend using locking lug nuts, Steve says it’s important to go one step further and hide the key.

“They went through my glove box and center console and found what they were looking for if I had it in different spot they would’ve had to work harder and could’ve ruined their plan and id only be out a broken window,” he said.

To make matters worse for Steve, he said that while he has theft insurance he still need to pay his $1,000 deductible.

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