VAIL, Ariz. (KGUN) — Joyce Lara and her husband live in Vail, where they make a habit of going out on a date every month. The normal night ended with them coming home to find a man trying to take their car tire and swap it for his own.
“My husband turns into the driveway and… there’s this guy… fussing with my tire," Joyce Lara said.
911 was called and by the time Tucson Police Department arrived, the suspect had run off. A police report was filed.
Lara realized the car the man drove was very similar to their own they had left parked on their driveway. “He was going to replace our tire with his blown tire because ours was a 2007 and his was a 2008," Lara said.
Lara posted a photo she captured of the man attempting to steal their tire before he left. "I was pissed. I want to say violated, you know? In the most not physically violent way, but how dare you?”
This is the first time the Lara family has experienced someone trying to steal their tire. They recently put lug nut wheel locks on their tires.
How common is it for someone to steal a tire? According to Monsoon Automotive owner Rick Becker, this is not very common.
“You’d have to find something very similar with the same bolt pattern as your car to unbolt from one car and put a whole wheel and tire on- you’d have to know what you’re doing," Becker explained.
Wheel locks are one way you can try to prevent your tires from being stolen. "If somebody sees your car with a wheel lock, and somebody else's car without one, they’re most likely going to choose a car that doesn’t have a wheel lock on it," Becker said.
TPD confirmed this is an ongoing investigation.
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Athena Kehoe is a reporter for KGUN 9, she joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2024 after graduating from Arizona State University. Share your story ideas with Athena by emailing athena.kehoe@kgun9.com or by connecting on X/Twitter.
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