In the future, Honda employees may look back at the mysterious trend of people stealing the wheels from their vehicles with a sense of humor about how desirable their rims have become. However, that day has not yet arrived for the staff at Metro Honda in Monroe, North Carolina, where a group of thieves executed a daring overnight raid on Monday, making off with at least 16 brand new wheels.
A press release from the Union County Sheriff’s Office stated that employees found a significant number of cars with shattered windows and many lacking all four wheels when they arrived on Tuesday morning. Images reveal at least three Honda Accords and one Pilot sitting dismally on jacks, each missing at least one window. The extent of the damages is still being assessed, according to the report.
Some may question why Honda wheels are particularly appealing to thieves. There are a few factors at play. First, the bolt pattern remains consistent across multiple models and has not changed in over ten years, allowing new wheels to fit a wide array of older Hondas (and various other vehicles). Installing them on an EM Civic can provide an economical aftermarket upgrade. Additionally, since Accords and Civics rank among the most stolen cars nationwide, this creates a substantial black market for the latest factory rims.
Investigators currently lack any leads and urge anyone who sees a suspicious Craigslist ad attempting to sell 16 OEM Honda wheels to contact the local Crimestoppers hotline at 704-283-5600.
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