Wheels stolen off multiple cars in Tredyffrin Township, Pa.

TREDYFFRIN TWP., Pa. (WPVI) -- Tredyffrin Township police are investigating after several vehicles had their wheels stolen recently.

Two thefts occurred overnight Monday into Tuesday in a community off of Route 252, and a third incident occurred in a hotel parking lot on Chesterbrook Blvd last week.

One of the victims, Lee O'Donnell, said she'd just moved to the area a few months ago and purchased her brand new Honda CR-V last week.

"I got a call in the morning from the building rep telling me that my car was vandalized and there's no tires on it," O'Donnell said.

"There is security on the car, but they must've done it so fast the alarm didn't go off," she added.

Her vehicle can't be driven, and for now, it sits in a parking lot because it couldn't be towed.

How to protect yourself

"The Tredyffrin Township Police Department would like to remind residents to stay vigilant if you own a newer vehicle, especially those with newer or specialty wheels," the police department said in a Facebook post. "A simple and effective way to deter thieves is by installing locking lug nuts on your wheels."

"Evidently because it's a hybrid, they're high-quality tires, they're more expensive," O'Donnell said.

Agencies like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration keep great data on vehicle theft, but statistics on the growing trend of wheel theft are harder to find. However, the National Insurance Crime Bureau says Honda, Chevrolet and Toyota models are often targets.

"Berwyn and Paoli are really safe, and it just sounds like something random, but based on the cars they're stealing them from, they're probably pretty popular no matter where you are in the city or surroundings," said Arthur Bell, who was visiting his brother at the community for older adults.

"I think it's pretty low to be stealing tires off of people in a 55+ community," Bell said.

Tredyffrin police also say to avoid areas that aren't well lit and check on your vehicle regularly as an added layer of security. Police say locking lug nuts can run anywhere from $20 to $50, which could be a great investment considering tires can cost hundreds to replace.