GREENBELT, Md. — A tow truck driver is warning people in Prince George’s County about how thieves are still able to steal the wheels and rims off of cars within seconds. Now, the D.C. native is making it a part of his job to educate more people about what’s going on.
“I carry these wheels with me for when I get that phone call which I know will mostly like come,” Beebo Tows truck driver, Beebo Aburish said.
Aburish’s good judgment before he hits the road every day comes from his experience from across the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area.
“For when I go, to make sure I have the right lug nuts when I’m towing. Within the four years I’ve collected all these lug nuts,” Aburish explained. “I had to buy that brand new jack because mine broke, I’ve used it so much.”
It’s been eat, sleep, tow, repeat for Aburish. The latest incidents started last Thursday.
“It [was] a Rav 4,” Aburish said. “Then on Monday we had a Toyota Camry in Greenbelt, and then Tuesday we did two more, Wednesday we did another, today I had the Nissan Altima.”
Within the last week, he’s responded to a call every day in Prince George’s County.
Aburish has documented it all on TikTok and several of his videos have gone viral.
“I started in 2000, I’ve seen a lot but I’m like okay one wheel theft, and then another and I’m like okay I’m getting 4-5 a week. Two, three a day,” Aburish said. “I’m like this is not normal, so I started posting like hey this needs attention.”
WUSA9 first covered this story two years ago when we spoke to Aburish about his videos that warned drivers about car rim and wheel thefts. Aburish said he started seeing this trend across the DMV area in 2019 but he didn’t start to use Tiktok to warn drivers until the pandemic.
He says he’s picked up all types of cars from Toyotas, Nissan’s, Acura’s and even Cadillacs and he’s noticed the thieves are breaking the wheel locks off.
“Anything that has access to the beltway they hit it, get right on the road and they’re gone,” Aburish said
Aburish said he’s noticed more calls from Prince George’s County lately. WUSA9 will ask police there for reports of wheels stolen – and compare the data and keep you posted.
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