Police investigating hundreds of tires illegally dumped following First Alert 4 reporting

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - A day after First Alert 4’s drone uncovered hundreds of dumped tires in the Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood of North City, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) is investigating the case.

“Tires have become a big issue lately; I really don’t know why,” said Detective Rick Zurmuehlen with the department’s Environmental Investigations Unit (EIU).

He is one of the highly-trained and specialized investigators in SLMPD who analyze hundreds of St. Louis City alleyways and streets, enforcing environmental violations. He says the unit is looking at adding cameras and barriers to block off entrances around the abandoned lot on Cozens Avenue, following First Alert 4’s reporting Monday.

“Our primary focus is illegal dumping. We’ll catch them on camera, they’ll come back 3-4 days in a row before we can even get them their summons,” said Zurmuehlen.

Since January 2024, Zurmuehlen says they’ve issued 366 Summons and 471 charges related to illegal dumping in city limits.

Tuesday, Alderwoman Laura Keys alerted First Alert 4 after she noticed three more piles of tossed tires off Natural Bridge in the O’Fallon neighborhood.

Tuesday, SLMPD sent photos of a man and woman they’re looking for who they say recently dumped tires from a pick-up truck in North City.

“One of the problems is the recycling area, the plant is too far away for people to take tires to, so they find it easier to take it to an alley and dump it that way,” said Zurmuehlen.

Zurmuehlen says they hope the more than 250 installed cameras will help catch the crooks illegally dumping.

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