Since the beginning of the year, 22 spare tires have been stolen off Jeep Wrangler vehicles in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia communities.
New Brunswick RCMP said in a press release published earlier this month that four tires were taken between Jan. 15 and 18 in retail and office building public parking lots in Moncton and Dieppe, followed by six more between Feb. 6 and 9.
The targets are 2015 to 2018 models.
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According to Nova Scotia RCMP and Halifax Regional Police (HRP), two tires were stolen in Bayers Lake and Dartmouth each, plus eight tires on Halifax’s peninsula between Feb. 19 and 25. The targets are 2017 to 2018 models.
“Some are happening during the day. Some are happening overnight,” HRP Const. Carol McIsaac said on Wednesday.
The thefts have occurred at parking lots at movie theatres, car dealerships, schools, and private residences, she said.
It hasn’t been determined if the thefts in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are related, McIsaac said.
“This is not something that’s new and startling,” Michael Page, fleet sales manager at car Dartmouth Dodge, said at the dealership’s property.
He said he normally hears of spare tire thefts happening at dealerships, and these tires are enticing for thieves because they’re often often same tires used on the vehicle (not just a smaller, temporary tire).
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McIsaac said owners of these cars should take precautions, including trying to leave the car in a well-lit area, and not ignoring car alarms.
If the car won’t be used for an extended period of time, putting the spare tire elsewhere would be a good idea, she said.
Page said, among other precautions, using a locking wheel nut is a good idea.
Any car with a spare tire located on the exterior of a car can be a target, he added.
Aforementioned police departments want anyone with information pertinent to the thefts to contact them or Crime Stoppers.