Detectives are attempting to locate four suspects who removed all four wheels from a victim’s vehicle and left it on cinder blocks, according to the Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD).
The suspects were captured entering and exiting a secured parking garage in a black Ford Escape. Both of the suspects seen in a surveillance video posted online by the SAPD appeared to be male Hispanic suspects.
Anyone with information regarding the suspects is asked to contact Police Investigative Specialist V. Hernandez at (714) 245-8372 or VHernandez@santa-ana.org.
Potential Charges and Penalties
The suspects could be charged under the following California Penal Code (PC) and Vehicle Code (VC) sections:
- Grand Theft (PC 487): If the total value of the four wheels and tires exceeds $950, the crime is classified as grand theft. This is a “wobbler” offense, meaning it can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony.
- Felony: Punishable by 16 months, 2 years, or 3 years in county jail and a fine of up to $10,000.
- Misdemeanor: Punishable by up to 1 year in county jail and a fine of up to $1,000.
- Petty Theft (PC 484 & 488): If the total value of the wheels is $950 or less, the charge is a misdemeanor.
- Penalty: Up to 6 months in county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.
- Tampering with a Vehicle (VC 10852): Willfully removing parts of a vehicle without the owner’s consent is a misdemeanor.
- Penalty: Can lead to fines, probation, and jail time.
- Vandalism (PC 594): Suspects may also face vandalism charges if the vehicle was damaged during the removal (e.g., damage to the rotors or body while placing it on cinder blocks).
- Automotive Property Theft for Resale (PC 496.5): A new focus in 2026, possessing stolen vehicle parts with the intent to sell or exchange them can be charged as a misdemeanor or felony when the value exceeds $950.
Additional Sentence Enhancements
- Organized Retail/Property Theft (Prop 36): Under current 2026 laws, committing grand theft with two or more accomplices can result in a sentence enhancement of 1, 2, or 3 years.
- High Value Enhancement: If the value of the stolen property is particularly high (e.g., over $50,000 for high-end luxury wheels), an additional year can be added to the sentence.
In Orange County, California, vehicle accessory thefts—specifically wheels and tires—reached historic highs in 2023 but have since shown a notable downward trend through 2024 and 2025.
Frequency of Wheel and Tire Thefts
- National Leaders: As of late 2023, Los Angeles and Orange County combined led the entire United States in insurance claims for stolen wheels and tires.
- Rising Severity: While frequency began to stabilize in 2024, the “average severity” or cost of these thefts has continued to climb, with losses often exceeding $3,000 per incident.
Three-Year Trends (2023–2026)
- 2023 (Peak): This year marked a high point for vehicle-related property crimes. Statewide, vehicle thefts rose 2.2%. In Orange County specifically, there were over 8,600 reported vehicle thefts that year.
- 2024 (Decline): Enhanced law enforcement operations led to a significant 16% drop in vehicle thefts in Orange County compared to 2023. Car accessory thefts (which include wheels) also began to trend downward toward pre-pandemic levels.
- 2025–2026 (Current): Data from the first half of 2025 indicates that the downward trend is sustaining. Nationwide, vehicle-related thefts fell by 23% in early 2025, a pattern mirrored in Southern California.
Property and Auto-Related crime in Santa Ana
- High Risk: Santa Ana remains a hotspot for these crimes within the county. According to analysis from 2025, your chance of becoming a victim of property crime in Santa Ana is roughly 1 in 50, one of the highest rates in the nation.
- Volume: In 2024, larceny and theft (the category including wheel theft) was the #1 most reported crime in Santa Ana, with nearly 3,900 cases.