Masked thieves have been stripping tires and wheels from parked cars across several EZ Park lots in Chinatown, according to the company’s CEO. Robert Spear, CEO of EZ Park, said the thefts have been happening for the past five weeks and have affected at least 18 vehicles in lots along Vine Stre et between 12th and 13th streets. “They come in like they own the place. They don’t turn their headlights off. They leave them on and attack the car. It’s incredible. I’ve never seen anything like this,” Spear said. Video shared with NBC10 shows what Spear described as a recurring overnight crime. In one incident, three masked suspects pull into a parking lot and quickly move toward a parked vehicle. One suspect slides crates underneath the car while another removes the lug nuts. The suspects then use a jack to lift the vehicle, remove the tires and load them into the trunk of their car before driving away. The entire theft takes less than three minutes. “It’s like a nightmare. We have been in business a long time. We have developed a good clientele and they are killing me. My customers are hurting. Business — I had a hotel who parked 30 cars and they left,” Spear said. Spear said the suspects appear to be targeting Honda Accords and Honda CR-Vs. Although he and his customers have reported the thefts, Spear said he is frustrated by what he views as a slow response. “It’s just so out of hand,” he said. “We pay a lot of taxes. We pay on every car that parks and I can’t get anywhere. The city won’t help me at all,” Spear said. Spear said he hopes the thefts stop before someone gets hurt. “I hope it ends. Someone is going to get hurt,” Spear said. His family has operated the business for more than 50 years. “Please help us catch these people or at least scare them so they will stop. I’d like to see them caught, but mainly I’d like to see it stop. It’s terrible,” Spear said. Philadelphia police told NBC10 they are investigating the thefts. NBC10 also asked police about Spear’s concerns regarding the pace of the investigation and is still waiting for a response. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication. ...read more read less