LAUREL, Md. — It’s a crime that can take less than a minute but cause a major headache for car owners.
In our area, thieves have targeted multiple vehicles this week for their airbags.
Police searching for thieves who smashed windows, stole car airbags overnight
"It's a trend that comes and goes. This was a big trend years ago and then it kind of died off. And I think a lot of it has to do with the economy,” Bill Woolf, Midwest director of The National Crime Insurance Bureau, said. “I don't think thieves target any specific thing. It’s what can I steal that takes the least amount of effort that I can get the most return on my investment?"
Airbags can cost upwards of $1,000 but through the black market may only cost $50-$200.
That’s a steal for criminal opportunists.
According to NCIB statistics published in 2017, an estimated 50,000 airbags are stolen annually, costing $50 million for drivers and insurers.
The Laurel Police Department reports that 23 cars had their windows smashed and their airbags stolen Tuesday overnight.
Most of the cars were Hondas.
They’re asking anyone who may have security footage at the locations where the thefts occurred to send it in to investigators, using the posted QR code.
Airbag theft locations in Laurel:
- 15000 Block Haynes Road
- 200 Block Eleventh Street
- 1100 Block Snowden Place
- 600 Block Prince George Street
- 700 Block Park Avenue
- 900 Block Nichols Drive
- 500 Block Ninth Street
- 700 and 300 Block Laurel Avenue
- 900 and 1000 Block Phillip Powers Drive
- 14200 Block West Side Boulevard
“We want to stop this from happening,” public information officer Laura Guenin said. “This is expensive for our residents. They have to pay their deductibles, [have] to pay to get their cars fixed and we don’t want that to happen to anyone.”
The night prior, up I-95, Howard County police reported seven cars in two locations, along the 6000 block of Otterbein Lane and the 7000 block of Gentle Shade, had also been targeted for their airbags.
The police are investigating whether the crimes are connected.
If purchasing an airbag, customers can check the serial number to ensure an auto repair shop got it legitimately.
But when it comes to preventing the loss of one, it's not so easy.
“We can give all the basics which is, park your car in a well-lit area, but unfortunately, that wouldn’t have done anything. They were there for a purpose, they knew what they were getting, knew what they were looking for,” Guenin said.
Woolf notes that any deterrent is better than nothing, like an alarm system or parking in a garage.
