After suffering from several years’ worth of tire theft, the leadership of C. Wimberley Chevrolet are more invested than ever in catching the culprit responsible for the crime — $5,000 worth of investment, to be exact.

The Dowagiac dealership is offering a $5,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrest of the party responsible for the theft of eight tires from their M-51 lot. The dealership reported to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office that the tires from two of its 2014 Chevrolet Silverado pickup trucks were stolen on Tuesday morning, said manager Dennis Wimberley.

“These tires had wheel locks on them,” Wimberley said. “It would have required special equipment from the thieves to remove.”

Employees with the dealership noticed the missing tires when the made their initial patrol of the lot Tuesday, at around 8 a.m., leading them to believe that the theft took place during the late evening or early morning hours between Monday and Tuesday. The two vehicles were located near the front of the lot, near the light pole, Wimberley said.

“It doesn’t matter where you park them,” he said. “Last year, the vehicle that was hit was parked out by the highway, and they still left it sitting on top of cinder blocks, right out front.”

The manager said that Chevy dealership has been a victim of tire theft during the fall for the past several years.

“This is the first time we’re putting forth a reward for information leading to the conviction of the culprit,” Wimberley said. “We’re just sick of it, it’s disgusting that someone would wait until you’re closed for the evening just to steal from you. There’s nothing worse than a thief.”

Wimberley estimates that nearly $10,000 worth of tires have been lifted from the property during the last several years. While a majority of the losses have been offset through insurance, the cost for deductible payments has put a dent in their bottom line.

“It’s no different from someone breaking into your house and taking $5,000 off your table,” the manager said.

While the dealership lacked a camera system prior to the theft, they are currently looking into purchasing and installing one in the near future.

People with information about the theft are encouraged to contact either the authorities or the dealership, at (269) 782-5181.

“The word is spreading fast, so hopefully we can get the right information to lead to their capture,” he said. “We will prosecute them to the full extent of the law.”