CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- Police are warning residents in one metro Detroit community to be aware that they might be the targets of thieves.

Clinton Township police said they are searching for people who are involved in a string of tire thefts in the area.

"I came out in my shorts at two in the morning and the car was sitting on blocks," said resident Bob Ferribly, who had all four tires of his Cadillac stolen.

Just a few blocks down the road, resident Mark Eickmann said it was the barking from his dog Phoenix that woke him up to the realization that all of his tires from his Ford Flex had been taken.

Eickmann said he called 911 when he noticed a suspicious minivan nearby.

"As I walked toward the minivan, it all of a sudden started up and high-tailed it out of here," he said.

The van was found a short time later by police after its driver crashed it. Police said it was loaded with stolen tires.

Police arrested the driver, 19-year-old Elijah Tilley, of Detroit, and said they believe he was not working alone.

"In this case, the person we arrested stole the van to go out and commit these crimes," said Clinton Township Police Captain Bruce Wade. "So not only was he brazen enough to steal wheels, he also took a stolen van."

Ferribly said he feels good about the one arrest, but couldn't imagine anyone doing the whole process alone.

"They jacked up a car, took four tires off, put it back on blocks and were gone without anyone hearing them," he said.

Tilley was arraigned on several charges that included reckless driving, eluding police and fleeing the scene of an accident.

The tires have been returned to the victims.