Traveling by plane and dealing with airport security can be stressful enough for most folks. Unfortunately for one owner of a GMC Sierra, wheel thieves managed to make their travel plans all the more frustrating.
Taking place in a parking lot at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, thieves targeted a 2019-2022 pre-refreshed GMC Sierra for its wheels. The poachers snatched all four wheels and tires off the Big Red full-size pickup truck, and left the Sierra sitting on its brake rotors on cinder blocks. The only sign left over from the wheels were lug nuts scattered by the cinder blocks.
The reporter covering the development attempted to find any airport cameras aimed toward the truck that may have captured video evidence of the thieves in the act, but was unable to have any luck. In fact, the reporter claimed that he had to go back two aisles towards the elevator to even find a camera.
In statement directed toward the development, an airport spokesperson stated, “Houston Airports constantly reviews how to better safeguard passengers’ vehicles while they are traveling. Houston Airports works with parking operators and Houston police to deter crime.”
In response to the robbery, there was an outpouring of people who claims that they experienced similar crimes while keeping their vehicle parked at the Houston Airports garages. In fact, one person claimed that they had their vehicle broken into just the month before. As a suggestion, another person stated that they use a ride service so as to avoid the potential headache altogether.
It’s worth noting that this Sierra was the only vehicle targeted in that aisle of parking spots. Officials say that in order to help deter criminals from stealing your wheels, it may be a good idea to install wheel locks.
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Comments
We will never be able to fully eradicate these types of degenerates, but removing a hand with a bandsaw would put a dent in their numbers.
@Infamous
my father has said, what you have said for years. Something has to change and bigger “consequences” must come forward for it to happen. Sucks to be the Sierra owner. Wheel locks do help. But most thieves can get around them
Back 1978, had new wheels/tires & had installed a set of the lug nut locks (1 per wheel), & when I went to rotate the tires, one stripped out. My dad had a couple of ideas, but suggested having my grandfather take a look. Grandfather truck driver & former LE, took a look & then hammered one of his old sockets onto the lug nut & off it came.
Now you can buy a lock nut removal socket for 16$!at Autozone. Fits them all, it has a bunch of little fingers inside that fill the voids and rest retract against a spring
Yes, figured that out later in life, when daughter’s car needed tires & when I looked at the car she had bought, had the locking lug nuts on it but no key came with the car. Learn a little as we get older.
Infamous, I agree with you 100%. I had a lot of tools stolen out of my cube van, and when I had to go to court for this matter, I said to the Judge, If we were in Turkey, he would have his hands cut off. The Judge replied, well we are not in Turkey. This same culprit was released from jail awaiting my trial, and the prosecutor said he would be back in court the next week for the same type of crime. So much for our justice system!!
Gotta love airport security. No cameras or guards patrolling. Maybe security stole the wheels?
Airport parking is damn expensive yet no security at all. This is why I drive my bucket when flying out.
We’ve lucked out so far. Several trips out of DFW, always the covered parking garage, & last trip was out of OKC-Will Rogers last year, also covered garage. But times are not getting any better, & the bad guys will always seek out where there are good pickings.
Unless the owner took the key to the wheel locks with him that is not a solution. Wheel lock key is almost always in the vehicle glove box so this means they’d also break a window to get the key then steal the wheels!
This results in additional damage and the wheels still disappear!
No way to prevent this without security monitoring by the garage staff and that’s unlikely. Security is above their pay grade!
Very common. I’ve had an insurance claim for this. Wheel locks and try to park near a camera.
Sad that bad actors have really bred and proliferated.
Sad to see. Very common. I’ve had an insurance claim on this. Still a big hassle and paying a $100.00 deductible. Get wheel locks and keep key on your ring. Bad actors in today’s high inflation world are proliferating. Sad that their numbers are growing and they live among us.
I have 2 big chains wrapped in plastic. Anytime I park overnight I wrap both wheels on each side with the chain plus my cars have a car cover and so far all is good. I learned this from taking my custom cars to car shows where theft is rampant. There are other ways but you have to have your treasures stolen to put forth the effort to prevent idiots from taking what is yours.
There will always be jerks who havnt figured out how to acquire these things by hard work and good morality. All cars should come with cameras, period. We have to one up these creeps.
This is the kind of stuff that happens when you decriminalize criminality. We wouldn’t want to hurt the feelings of the criminals after all. Houston is not exactly in lock-step with the rest of Texas.
surprised they “donated” 4 cinder blocks. Could have just sat it right on the ground. But maybe their jack could not be pulled out if they didn’t keep truck high.
This just happened at Detroit Metro Airport not that long ago. A guy took his family on a weekend trip to Florida and when he came back, the 22″ wheels off his brand new Grand Wagoneer were gone and his truck was balanced on blocks. People think that these places are secure because they are an airport, but the parking garages are not secure, just the terminals are secure. When it comes to security, its like any other industry, there is a shortage of help. Cameras might help document what happened, but they will not stop the thieves from taking your stuff. And the airport gets out of its responsibility because they have disclaimers posted saying they are not responsible for theft. Take an Uber or taxi to the airport.
Sorry to see this. Trying to look for a positive, at least the thieves didn’t double dip and saw off his catalytic converter too.
If it’s something a theif wants, a theif will take. Wheel locks won’t stop ’em. And today with lesser accountability to criminals paying for their crimes, we the tax payer, provider of insurance; will pay more. I try to educate my kids, your vote matters.
I had to leave my 1 week old 2022 refreshed GMC in airport while I flew to a funeral. When I returnedthe drivers door was open but it appeared nothing was missing. Battery was dead from the alarm screaming until the battery went dead. There were no marks on the truck,no indication it was forced open and just one door open/unlocked. About a week later I noticed the owners manual AND the ownership was missing. The only things missing.
My dealer said iy was new enough that they didn’t have software to start it but they did get the door unlocked. Onstar verified the alarm going off when the door opoened without the keyfob.
Now I lock it up in my garage but somewhere there is a stolen GMC with my ownership
Same thing happen to my AT4 at hotel in Spring Texas. Which is a northern suburb in Houston close to Bush airport. My tow truck driver said he had picked up 5 other vehicles the same day that had the same thing happen. Also I had locks on my wheels.