Police: Elmont Man Stole Tires and Rims in Three Communities

An Elmont man has been charged with swiping tires and rims off of cars parked in West Hempstead, Franklin Square and Elmont.

Nassau County Police arrested Maverick Matos 18, around 5 a.m.on Thursday and charged him with multiple larcenies from vehicles that occurred from late February until he was brought into custody. 

Cops say Matos stole approximately $20,000 worth of tires and rims, mostly from Honda and Acura cars. He faces nine counts of Grand Larceny, and one count of Criminal Mischief and Resisting Arrest. He will be arraigned Friday at First District Court in Hempstead.

earlier this month, when cars were found in West Hempstead, Garden City South and Malverne propped up on bricks and missing their tires and rims. Since then another vehicle, a Honda Fit, was reported in a similar state on the corner of Madison Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard. in West Hempstead.

Another West Hempstead resident on Pauley Drive also called police three weeks ago, after $3,000 worth of tires and rims were stolen off her son's Honda SI, while it was parked in the family's driveway. The culprit also caused $2,000 worth of damage to the vehicle.

"I know of at least three incidents in a 12-block radius," the woman told Patch. "Besides the inconvenience and feeling of being invaded, it cost my son a $1,000 deductible. [He] is a full time college student [who] worked hard to save up for the tires and rims in the first place!"

A spokeman for the Nassau County Police said the investigation into all these incidents is ongoing.