PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Neighbors in parts of Northern Liberties are fed up with thieves targeting cars after they said there was a lull in car-related thefts.<\/p>\n
Some of the recent issues include thefts of catalytic converters, stolen wheels and tires, and smashed windows.<\/p>\n
Action News obtained surveillance video on Fairmount Ave. showing suspects steal what neighbors believe was the catalytic converter from under a pickup truck.<\/p>\n
The suspects can be seen taking parts from underneath the vehicle at around 6:45 Thursday morning.<\/p>\n
“It just shows that people are getting more bold,” said neighbor Jon Pearce.<\/p>\n
A car can still run without a catalytic converter, but the vehicle will be very loud, as if the muffler is missing.<\/p>\n
It’s an important piece of the exhaust system made of metal that thieves sell for money.<\/p>\n
And then there are other car-related thefts. All four wheels were stolen this week from a Toyota Corolla left on the ground at Front St. and Fairmount Ave.<\/p>\n
Pearce said the issues have occurred off and on.<\/p>\n
“It seems to be a wave, then it goes away and then a few months of nothing, and then it comes back,” Pearce said.<\/p>\n
A Honda Civic is being propped up by one tire with the lug nuts scattered on the ground near 2nd and Brown streets.<\/p>\n
Pearce said neighbors had an encounter a few months ago.<\/p>\n
“Another neighbor caught them on camera wheeling the wheels down the street,” Pearce said.<\/p>\n
Neighbors also point out that it’s been quiet until recently, with additional instances of smashed windows under bridges where they’d like to see more lighting.<\/p>\n
Pearce said, “People work hard, people need their cars and so stealing from them is not an acceptable thing to be doing.”<\/p>\n
Philadelphia police said they are looking into our requests for more information on reports in the neighborhood.<\/p>\n
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