Thieves steal more than 50 tires from Arlington Hts. auto dealer

Thieves have stolen more than 50 spare tires and rims from vehicles at Arlington Nissan, 1100 W. Dundee Road, in recent weeks.

Police reported Friday that in the latest theft, the perpetrators used a tool to cut fasteners and remove 36 spare tires from underneath Nissan vans, Frontier, Armada and X-Terra vehicles. The thefts occurred between Oct. 29 and Nov. 5. Replacement cost was estimated at more than $36,000.

Earlier, the dealership reported that thieves between Oct. 22 and 29 stole the full-size spare from underneath 20 Nissan vans. The replacement cost for the 17-inch Firestone Transforce LT245 Light Truck tires and rims was put at $21,800.

In that same time period, thieves also removed a spare tire and rim valued at $298 from underneath a Ford E250 van parked at a hotel at 2120 S. Arlington Heights Road and a spare tire and rim valued at $800 from underneath a Lexus sport utility vehicle parked in a driveway in the 1300 block of East Woodford.