ROMULUS, Michigan (CBS DETROIT) – A Metro Detroit family recently returned from vacation to find their SUV perched on bricks in a Detroit Metro Airport parking deck.
Imagine getting off your plane and walking to your car, only to find it without four tires. It was a new reality for Joe Hebeka.
“To be honest, at first I thought I might have gotten the wrong car,” said Hebeka.
His recently purchased jeep had to be held up by several rocks.
A little over a week ago, Hebeka and his daughter returned from vacation and made their way to the big blue deck of Detroit Metro Airport.
“The wheels and tires were completely stolen from the vehicle,” says Hebeka.
The SUV’s 22-inch wheels were gone. A tow truck came next to remove the SUV, but the problems didn’t stop there.
According to Hebeka, the tow truck driver told him it was a near-impossible towing.
“They actually told me that this was the hardest tow they’ve ever done,” Hebeka said.
After two tow trucks, the SUV made it out of the garage, but not before paying $120 to exit.
“It’s a little discouraging,” Hebeka said.
The Jeep owner is now hoping the airport will step up its security so stories like his don’t become the norm.
“I would like to see more cameras in this parking garage and also some additional signage around the parking garage letting people know if you see anything call this number.”
The insurance is expected to cover the damage sustained to Hebeka’s SUV. A loaner vehicle was also made available to the family.
Hebeka and his wife, both local small business owners, are glad the situation wasn’t worse.
“Fortunately nobody was hurt and everything will be replaced one way or another,” he added.
Despite being disappointed by the whole incident, Hebeka doesn’t want this to happen to anyone else.
“There just aren’t many cameras, if any, I honestly don’t know if there are any cameras in the garage at all,” Hebeka says.
Detroit Now News received a statement from DTW:
“Safety remains our top priority at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. Due to recent vehicle and tire thefts in our parking decks, we have taken several steps to address the issue. Earlier this year we increased patrols on our parking decks. In response to the recent thefts, our Police Department and Airport Authority security teams have deployed additional patrols. We are also investigating increasing camera coverage and adding additional technology on the Big Blue Deck and McNamara Terminal Parking Deck. Additionally, our police department is working with multiple law enforcement agencies to deal with stolen vehicles not just at DTW, but throughout Southeast Michigan.
