Police: 18 airbags stolen from vehicles in Monroeville
MONROEVILLE, Pa. (KDKA) -- According to Monroeville police, about 20 cars have been busted into and robbed, but what was taken wasn't belongings. It was airbags.
Police said it's only one brand of car: Honda. They report 18 airbags being stolen from 19 Civics and Accords that have been broken into.
Mechanics have heard of parts being stolen, but airbags are a new one.
"I was surprised to get the phone call from you that they're stealing airbags now," Troubleshooters auto repair shop owner Tim Dietz said.
According to him, there's no value to them, unless they're going to salvage yards. Most reputable shops aren't going to put a used airbag in your car.
"There are no precious metals to my knowledge in airbags, so it's not like catalytic converters," Dietz said.
According to Monroeville police, the 19 cars were victimized between 2 and 5 Sunday morning. The airbags were stolen from Accords and Civics at several apartment complexes, including Presidential Village Apartments, Stonecliff Apartments, Birnam Wood Apartments and Belmont.
"I've never run across someone that came in and said 'hey, my airbag got boosted,'" Dietz said.
Why are these model cars being targeted? According to Dietz, these airbags are held in with clips, making them easier to take.
"And they can have it out in 10 minutes," Dietz said.
Police said the alleged suspects may know their way around a car. They were able to break in the windows and no alarms were set off. Dietz said it can be $500-600 to replace a window, and another $1,200 for the airbag. Insurance should be able to help.
"It's like any safety device, you want it to function. I'd want it there if I ran into the back of something or hit a guardrail or a tree," Dietz said inside his Ross Township shop.
So to prevent your car from becoming a target, it's recommended you park in a well-lit area and think about taking extra measures to secure your steering wheel.
"They actually used to make things like the club. If you can lock that on there, that might prevent them from getting the airbag off," Dietz said.
Monroeville police are still looking for whoever did this. They said if you know anything, you're asked to call police.