Honestly...who does these things??

**SoCal_Magnum** · 12-04-2005, 12:53 AM

Ok, so it's Saturday evening and I'm relaxing at the house and all is well. I go down to the driveway to grab some CDs out of the car, the outside light (motion activated) comes on and I notice a gold reflection off the lip of one of my wheels. Wait a minute....gold? What? Where? My wheels are chrome! What's going on here!?

I kneel down to look, and apparently someone has STOLEN the valve stem cap off of my wheel and the gold reflection is the threading of the stem!!!!! Now mind you, this was not a malicious intent to let all of the air out of my tires. The tire is still propped right up, full of air; not flat in the least.

I take a walk around my mag and realize all 4 caps have been removed.
I ask you fine fellows....WHO DOES THESE THINGS!?! What the hell would anybody need with 4 valve stem caps!?

If it was a real theif, shouldn't they have stolen my 22" wheels? Shouldn't they have stolen my whole car? No, they're just going to leave the $30k plus car and the $2500 wheels, they'll just help themselves to the valve caps that cost like $3 a set at any auto store.

WTF LXforums......W....T....F?? I just had to run back to the forums and alert you guys a valve stem cap thief is on the loose somewhere in West Hollywood.

**70GT6** · 12-04-2005, 01:00 AM

Had this happen to several "other" cars when I parked on the street (SRT8 = never on the street) I finally bought the caps the are hex and can be tightened with w small wrench. They are very hard to get off by hand, and since I am guessing it is kids... I never lost another cap.

**moparman53** · 12-04-2005, 01:04 AM

Maybe it's some sort of kiddie gang initiation.

**SoCal_Magnum** · 12-04-2005, 01:05 AM

Originally Posted by 70GT6

Had this happen to several "other" cars when I parked on the street (SRT8 = never on the street) I finally bought the caps the are hex and can be tightened with w small wrench. They are very hard to get off by hand, and since I am guessing it is kids... I never lost another cap.

Where do you get them? I assume they come with a key, like the locking lugs?

**DriveATransam** · 12-04-2005, 01:49 AM

they are probably kids taking them. ive seen them take them for their bikes and stuff. i used to do all kinds of crazy stuff when i was a kid lol.

**ZMagnum** · 12-04-2005, 01:50 AM

Kids take them to put on their bicycle tires. Unfortunately it's the same size and thread pitch.

I've had mine stolen as well. I discovered it in a parking lot right after it happened. I noticed that only the standard black plastic type were left untouched. So they only wanted the steel ones.

Now I have Dodge emblem ram head valve covers. I'm sure it won't be long before they are gone. I've got a few extra sets of steel covers in my glove box just in case.

**DriveATransam** · 12-04-2005, 01:57 AM

could try locktite if you have metal ones. just dont rip your valve stems off

**blackcomb** · 12-04-2005, 02:04 AM

I go through about a set a month. No idea why....but eh.

**Davesatdoasisbar** · 12-04-2005, 02:12 AM

Although that little theft is a pain in the A$$ I would be looking at the half full glass and be thankful they aren't screwing with anything else.

**1sckmgnm** · 12-04-2005, 08:24 AM

Kids will be kids

Until they are caught then they will be welll you get it lol

**Aikidoka** · 12-04-2005, 10:12 AM

Around here the kids rip them off and put them on their BMX bikes. I guess it could be worse. There is a girl at my gym that I'm friends with and she has had all 4 of her tires slashed twice in the past month. And its not just her their doing it to their going after all the cars in the complex.

**grinner** · 12-04-2005, 10:32 AM

I was just about to chime in and bash some punk for horkin one valve stem cover last week but I remembered what I did to replace it.
yep... swiped one of af Nan's car.
I suck.

**SoCal_Magnum** · 12-04-2005, 12:33 PM

lol wow guys....seems like this is a pretty common occurance! Could there be a nation-wide ring of stem cap theives in the mix? Perhaps a global syndicate?

Stupid kids. Guess I'll buy 3 or 4 sets and hang on to the extras as suggested. Like I said, they're only like $3 / set and that's in chrome.

**RTracer** · 12-04-2005, 02:17 PM

I'll just have to admit...when I was a kid, we would go out hunting for "chromies". They were just to cool not to have on our bikes.
Yes.....stupid rugrat kids.

**RandomAccess** · 12-04-2005, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by RTracer

I'll just have to admit...when I was a kid, we would go out hunting for "chromies". They were just to cool not to have on our bikes.
Yes.....stupid rugrat kids.

Maybe you should buy socal_magnum a set as penance for your crimes!!!