Thieves have been stealing a pricey car part from Honda vehicles in Southeast Baltimore.

Baltimore Police said over the last 28 days, they've received eight reports of radar sensors being stolen from Honda CR-Vs in the Southeast District. 

There have been reports on:

• Clinton Street, East Avenue
• Bouldin Street
• and on several other roads.

The sensor sits at the lower part of the front bumper or behind the front emblem and operates features such as cruise control and collision mitigation braking.

"It's just completely ripped out. They've cut the cable."

Highlandtown neighbor Corey Brewer had just hopped in the car with her daughter Monday, getting ready to take her to school until she turned her car on.

 "All of a sudden, the lights on the dashboard are all going off," Brewer said. "My cruise control alert, my brake alert, my steering control."

When she looked at the front of her Honda CR-V, she realized, "...my whole radar is gone," she said.

Brewer said the thieves also stole the radar sensor from her husband's Honda. It's a costly fix for just one vehicle, she reported.

"I'm looking at $4,000 just for the pieces and the parts. There's no guarantee it's not going to happen to me again because there's no after market protection."

Brewer said her husband is looking at a $5,500 repair because thieves damaged the car's grill and took off the emblem.

City Councilman steps in

Baltimore City Councilman Mark Parker said he's heard from several neighbors about the issue.

"The one Honda dealership I spoke with had at least 10 calls, and this was yesterday, and [they] had six cars in the shop already..." he said.

He said his office has spoken directly with BPD about their plan to track down those behind the crime. It starts with tracking data and sharing it with city and community leaders.

"All the officers have been briefed in the Southeast District to know what the patterns are...And doing a bunch of traffic stops and other things in the area to attempt to track down and screen for folks who might be in the area for these reasons."

Tips from BPD

Baltimore Police shared this advice for residents with Honda vehicles:

• Park vehicles in well-lit areas or under motion-detected lighting.
• Install motion-sensor security cameras in parking areas.
• Whenever possible, park in a garage or position the vehicle in a way that makes it difficult for would-be thieves to access the area where radar sensors are installed.
• Install anti-theft brackets designed to cover the sensor.
• Secure the sensor using tamper-resistant screws.