Springfield man accused of stealing spare tires off 18 different Jeeps
Harrison KeeganSpringfield Jeep owners can breathe a sigh of relief this week.
Police say they caught the man who has made a part-time job of stealing the iconic spare tire off the back of Jeep Wrangler and Liberty models throughout the city.
James L. Gilland, 43, was behind bars Thursday facing a felony stealing charge after police say he took the spare tires off 18 different Jeeps.
Over the last month Gilland allegedly targeted Jeeps in the parking lots of Cox Hospital, Mercy Hospital and Missouri State University.
Police say Gilland would steal the spare tires and then sell the aluminum rims as scrap metal and the tires to a car shop.
According to a probable cause statement, it was video surveillance that helped police tie Gilland to the thefts.
The statement says police first caught Gilland on March 15 and released him with a municipal summons for stealing. But over the next month, police say Gilland stole the spare tire off at least 13 more vehicles — leading to the felony charge.
Gilland allegedly told police he was stealing the tires for money to support his opiate addiction.
Gilland is being held in the Greene County Jail on $15,000 bond. He does not have an attorney listed for this case.
The felony stealing charge carries a possible 7-year prison sentence.