Thieves nab tires from new vehicles at dealership

ANGLETON, TX (KTRK) -- For some fast-moving thieves in Angleton, they managed to remove all of the rims and tires from nearly two dozen vehicles at an auto dealership.

You wouldn't have found a manager's special at the Gulf Coast Ford dealership in Angleton on Wednesday. But the manager probably had some choice words for the thieves that left almost two dozen new vehicles sitting on blocks.

"At least an hour or two, and that's the thing that's shocking to us; with so many cars passing by that no one had spotted it or seen it," said GM Mark Holian with the Gulf Coast Ford dealership.

The dealership, sitting on the main highway, was hit late Saturday night into early Sunday morning.

"I don't know how they could do all that damage without somebody noticing," Angleton resident Bill Greer said.

After disabling some security lights, they went to work. Twenty-two Ford vehicles were left sitting on 4.x5.5-inch blocks.

The thieves were picky, only going after 20-inch rims and tires. The 88 sets of rims and tires cost the dealership more than a $100,000 in damage.

"There were three Edges, three Expeditions, 14 F150's and three F-250's," Holian said.

Early in Angleton Police Department's investigation, they've discovered a pattern.

Other dealerships in the greater Houston area have found their vehicles sitting on blocks as well.

"Make sure that all these are connected, such as from Madisonville, Sealy and Houston. They all had some in November," Angleton Police Department Sgt. Kirk Coleman said.

And now the alleged rim and tire ring, has hit Angleton, leaving some feeling like it's not such a small town anymore.

"I think it's awful. How can this thing happen in such a small peaceful town?" another Angleton resident said.

The general manager of the dealership says he's thankful it has insurance. The Angleton Police Department is coordinating its investigation with other departments who've experienced similar thefts in their jurisdictions.

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angleton, local, erik barajas

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