🛞 Philly car thieves are targeting tires

Car strippers are eyeing a new part of Philly cars: the wheels. Reports of tires being stolen from vehicles have left authorities and citizens looking for answers.

• This is a trend across Philly. Reports of tire theft have come from Center City, Northern Liberties, Old City, South Philly, Fairmount, and the Northeast, particularly along I-95.
• Why tires? They are easy to steal compared to other parts of the car. Wheels are also harder to track and easy to sell since no proof of ownership or serial numbers are attached to the products. Some tire sets can go for as much as $5,000 on the secondhand market.
• Certain cars are being targeted. Local police say that Honda models are the focus of wheel thieves, and suspect between three and five criminal groups are responsible. And while car theft is down in Philly this year, nearly a quarter of vehicles stolen in the city are Hondas.
• Philadelphians are losing money. A Northeast Philly nursing student and victim of this theft says it only took seven minutes for her car to be broken into, its wheel locks disabled, and the tires stolen. It will cost her $5,000 to replace the rims and tires.
• How to protect your vehicle. Authorities recommend parking in brightly lit areas and close to a curb, and purchasing wheel locks. You can also try adding lug nut locks and turning your wheels when you park.

ICE Wants a Detention Facility in Philly

The federal agency is looking for an existing building within 50 miles of an airport that can hold 1,800 beds and be operational within 30 days of signing a contract. [6abc]

• Related: This comes on the tail of ICE’s announcement to cancel plans to build two detention centers in Berks and Schuylkill. (🎧 City Cast Philly, 🔒 The Inquirer)

Who You're Hearing on SEPTA Regional Rail

The voice of the lines that connect Philly to the suburbs is a SEPTA commuter himself. Alvin Elliott didn’t start out making announcements on the mic; since being hired by the public transit agency in 1985, he has worked in passenger services and control towers, but had originally planned to become a conductor. [🔒 The Inquirer]

Teens Need More Hangout Spots

The city’s young people say they aren’t welcome in malls, fast-food restaurants, and even some parks. With many city-owned recreation spaces in need of upgrades and formal teen programming inaccessible to some, Philly youth are asking for casual, unstructured spaces for activities like playing ping-pong and karaoke. [Chalkbeat Philadelphia]

Have a Say in Your Neighborhood

Want to find ways to get more involved in your neighborhood or your block? Many groups in the city are created specifically to address hyper-local issues like the need for speed bumps and zoning decisions. Here’s how to get started. [🎧 City Cast Philly]

Community Efforts Open Kensington Ave.’s Only Grocery Store

Kensington neighbors have been asking for a grocery store for years. The Kensington Food Company, which offers affordable, quality food with a shared commercial kitchen, opened thanks to combined efforts between a local grocery importer and community-controlled real estate organization, Kensington Corridor Trust. [Next City]

• Related: Kensington Corridor Trust doesn’t just help open grocery stores; the organization aims to put control of the business corridor in neighbors' hands through collective ownership. (🎧 City Cast Philly)

Joe Exotic Has Nothing on Our Reptile Smuggling Past

One local man’s fixation with reptiles turned into the Philadelphia Reptile Exchange. The first episode in a new HBO documentary series covers Hank Molt, creator of the exchange, who was one of the first people to go to prison in the U.S. for wildlife crime. [Philly Mag]