Thieves Strip Vehicles of All Wheels in 15 Minutes

ATLANTA - Despite a warning and the neighborhood having private patrols, thieves were not deterred in pulling off a midnight theft right in the middle of the street.

It happened in a Buckhead neighborhood. Virginia Rhodes' SUV was parked directly under a street lamp. In probably no more than 15 minutes, according to experts, thieves could lift and load all four tires and wheels and make a getaway.

Atlanta Police got a report of similar incident within 24 hours in the Midtown area. The losses for each victim tallied up into thousands of dollars, plus the hassle factor.

You cannot even call for a regular tow truck because you are left with no tires to haul the vandalized vehicle away.

After homeowner Rhodes simmered, she reflected on her misfortune. "It's not going to make me move out of Atlanta. I can replace the tires."