Philadelphia police investigate rash of airbag thefts

NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Airbags were stolen out of nine vehicles over the weekend in Northeast Philadelphia, but police say this is not the first time this has happened.

There has been a rash of airbag thefts, with police saying some 30 stolen since the start of the year.

Investigators say the thieves know which air bags they want and who to sell them to on the black market.

On Sunday, police discovered nine Hondas had been broken into on Eastwood, Hoffnagle, Strahle, Benson, Summerdale, Arthur, and Revere streets.

The thieves took the air bags from the steering wheels of the cars. Police tell us it's not a complicated crime to commit.

"All you have to do is break the window and you can get to the air bag compartment. It's only three screws that hold it into place," said Cpt. Roland Lee of the Major Crimes Unit.

Law enforcement experts say the thieves then sell the stolen air bags to unscrupulous auto body shops for a couple hundred dollars.

When an air bag goes off, they say, replacing the entire unit can cost $3,000 or more.

The dishonest operators charge the vehicle owner or insurer the full price for the replacement, making this not just theft - but insurance fraud.

"They can portray that it's new and charge the customer the full amount when, in actuality, they aren't paying the full amount for the air bag," said Lee.

Police say these air bag thieves tend to hit many cars at one time. They use spotters to look for the cars - and troll neighborhoods looking for cars to target.

Police advise you park in a lighted area, and be aware of whose walking around - especially at night.

"The people in the community must take notice of who's in your neighborhood. If you think someone suspicious is in your neighborhood- call 911," Lee said.

As for why thieves target Hondas, police say it's one of the most popular cars in this country- so the thieves know they'll be demand for the stolen goods.

Police are looking at a ring they locked up a few years ago and the suspects were recently released.

They also have surveillance video - although that hasn't been made public yet.