Three people arrested in connection with string of tire thefts in Milwaukee County

Three people are in custody, charged in a string of tire and wheel thefts. Randy Rivera, 19, and Erick Rosado-Cruz, 23, as well as a juvenile, are accused of stealing tires from cars all over Milwaukee County. 

"It really was frustrating," said Nicole Sullivan, who woke up to a text message from her neighbor the morning of February 8, 2017.

"You know, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your car's on cinder blocks, and I'm like, what?!"

Little did Sullivan know, other car owners on the east side of Milwaukee, as well as Bay View and St. Francis would have the same thing happen to them. The criminal complaint says Rivera and Rosado-Cruz told Milwaukee detectives they were caught by St. Francis Police in March for stealing tires, and were cited. It also says the tires would be sold on Facebook for $150-$200. Court documents say the thefts happened in the middle of the night, as far back as November, 2016. In one recent case, an SUV was targeted, but the suspects' main appeal seemed to be small cars.

"You don't realize how crippling it is to not have your vehicle when you need it," Sullivan said.

Now, her two cars have locking lug nuts.

"I don't worry about it anymore," she added.