Dozens of residents around the Soundview neighborhood have been waking up to find their cars without wheels sitting on top of milk crates.  

Claribel Brito is one of those victims. She’s lived on Story Avenue for three years and found her car without tires sitting on milk crates after double parking for a brief moment to go into her house. 

“This has to be their profession because they do it with a quickness,” said Brito. “They’re coming the night before loosening the wheels and they’re taking the rims and the wheels." 

Brito says that one of her neighbors had the wheels fall off of her car as she was driving off. She says the thefts have gotten out of hand ahead of the holidays, and Story Avenue residents say they’re now afraid to park their cars after 7 p.m. in the area.  

The NYPD says they’re currently investigating Brito’s case, and say that grand larceny for cars is up 19.6% from last year.