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SALT LAKE CITY — New surveillance video released by the Salt Lake City Police Department could help solve crimes that have been going on for years.
Scott Thomas is a manager at Purcell Tires on the west side of Salt Lake City.
The surveillance video of the criminal wasn't at his business, but he has been hit before. A metal plate covers up a hole where a criminal broke through a wall to steal his tires.
"It's gotten crazy," he said. "The scary thing is, they're not afraid of you. that's what is really nasty about the whole thing, is they're not afraid."
It's been going on in the industrial area for a long time. One spot in particular is roughly between North Temple and 2100 South, Redwood Road and Lake Shore.
Salt Lake City police Sgt. Dennis McGowan says thefts are happening almost every night.
"It's a chronic problem out here on the west side," he said. "there are desperate people out there and they are willing to go to desperate measures to get almost anything."
In this case, at the Comfort Systems business, the thief used bolt cutters, then a metal grinder to cut open a lock. Once inside, he took a bunch of items and took off.
"I think they work as hard at stealing as I do trying to make it," Thomas said.
He said what worries him is some of these criminals don't even care if they're caught by workers or even if they are on video. He said some of these criminals have done their homework and they try to talk their way out of situations.
"A lot of times, they'll even know who we are," he said. "They'll use my name, as in, ‘Scott said it was OK for us to be on your property and we're here to collect some stuff. He said it was OK.'"
It's why some 40 businesses here have started a neighborhood watch-type program.
"They said if we don't watch out for each other, there's not going to be anything," Thomas said.
