Montgomery County police caught two suspects removing wheels from a vehicle on the 10400 block of Montrose Avenue in Bethesda early Tuesday, one of several vehicle thefts logged across the county that day.

Officers responded at approximately 2:03 a.m. and arrested both suspects at the scene, according to the MCPD daily crime summary. Police said stolen property was recovered.

The 2nd District, which covers Bethesda and Chevy Chase, was one of four districts reporting vehicle-related crimes on July 28. The summary also listed a vehicle theft in the Rockville/Potomac area, an aggravated assault and vehicle theft in Silver Spring, and a school pool burglary and vehicle theft in the Wheaton/Aspen Hill area.

County car thefts up 20% in 2026

The Montrose Avenue arrest comes as Montgomery County grapples with a sharp rise in car theft. Vehicle theft is up 20% countywide in 2026, MCPD Capt. Cody Fields told NBC Washington in a report published Wednesday, July 29.

Since January, officers have arrested more than 90 juveniles and more than 40 adults for stealing cars across the county.

Fields said thieves are targeting Kias, Hyundais, Infinitis and Hondas using devices police call "replicators" that duplicate a key fob's signal to unlock and start vehicles. A replicator costs a couple thousand dollars but gives access to vehicles worth tens of thousands, Fields said.

"What we have started to do is we have our Auto Crimes Enforcing Unit, they are actually bringing boxes of free wheel locks to each police station," Fields told NBC Washington.

Police are also encouraging residents to place a tracking device such as an Apple AirTag inside their vehicle so officers can recover it quickly if stolen. Fields said thieves in many cases use stolen cars to commit other crimes or take them for joy rides.

How to protect your vehicle

Residents can pick up a free wheel lock at any Montgomery County police station. MCPD also recommends placing a GPS tracker inside the vehicle to aid recovery if it is stolen.