2 men arrested after dumping hundreds of tires in North Philadelphia, police say

Police arrested two men who are accused of dumping hundreds of tires from a U-Haul truck in North Philadelphia.

Police said someone called 911 Tuesday night to report illegal dumping in a large parking lot on Indiana Avenue. When 39th District officers arrived, they found two men unloading an estimated 200 to 350 tires from the truck.

Both men were arrested and charged with criminal mischief, criminal conspiracy and scattering rubbish.

The incident is the latest in a string of illegal dumping cases in the area. Police said they've investigated nine separate incidents on or near Indiana Avenue in the past six weeks.

"To prevent somebody from getting in an open space is difficult," Philadelphia Police Lt. Christopher Lantz said. "It's a challenge, to say the least. There's deterrence. Obviously, arrests are a deterrent. People speaking up and calling 911 is a deterrent. The fines are a deterrent. So we do our best."

In August, CBS News Philadelphia reported on a U-Haul truck that became stuck in the mud after hundreds of tires were illegally dumped in Fairmount Park. It's unclear whether that incident is connected to the latest case, but detectives are investigating a possible link involving the same vehicle.

Police said illegally dumped tires pose environmental hazards and are difficult to dispose of or recycle.

"There's a cost associated with that," Lantz said. "Unfortunately, the cost comes to the city, which is you and me. We have to pay for that. Taxpayers have to pay for it."

Police are urging anyone who witnesses illegal dumping to report it. In Philadelphia, illegal dumping can carry a fine of up to $5,000 per tire.