A Pep Boys Auto Parts employee was charged in connection with the theft of four tires from the store at 1911 West St. on Saturday night.

Police said officers drove to the store around 7:45 p.m. Saturday after a witness reported seeing a man pull up to the rear of the business, jump the fence and throw several tires over it.

Nicholas Scott Muir, 20, of Edgewater, was caught by an officer loading the tires into his girlfriend's Honda Civic. According to the report, Muir told police he worked for Pep Boys, and he was taking the tires because they were set out as trash.

Police called the manager who said Muir was an employee, but the tires were not trash.

Pep Boys employees had placed the new tires on a customer's vehicle earlier on Saturday, but they had to remove them due to a warranty issue. The manager told police she marked the tires to be set aside, processed as defects and returned to the warehouse for a credit.

Police valued each tire at $164.99—for a total value of $659.96.

Muir was charged with theft under $1,000, and the District Court Commissioner released him on personal recognizance.