CPD alert documents 20 thefts of airbags from Hondas in Chicago neighborhoods

Chicago police this week issued an alert warning Honda drivers about an ongoing trend of airbag thefts.

Police have responded to at least 20 calls about airbags stolen from Hondas over the past six weeks. The thefts happened in several neighborhoods on the North, Northwest, and West sides. Some happened right along the lakefront.

In each incident, thieves targeted late-model Hondas by breaking into driver-side windows with a blunt object or pry tool, and took the airbags from the steering wheels. The owners of the cars contacted police after finding the damage from the thefts that occurred in the overnight hours.

The incidents happened at the following times and locations:

• Between 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, and 8:05 a.m. Monday, Dec. 22, in the 800 block of West 16th Street, Pilsen.
• Between 9 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, and 9:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 22, in the 900 block of West 18th Street, Pilsen.
• Between 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, and 6:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 22, in the 2200 block of West McLean Avenue, Bucktown.
• Between 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, and 5:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, in the 2000 block of West Armitage Avenue, Bucktown.
• Between 9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, and 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, in the 2300 block of West Flournoy Street, Tri-Taylor.
• Between 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21, and midnight the morning of Thursday, Jan. 22, in the 3900 block of North Recreation Drive, on the lakefront near the Sydney R. Marovitz Golf Course.
• Between 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21, and 6:40 a.m. Thursday. Jan. 22, in the 3900 block of North Recreation Drive, on the lakefront near the Sydney R. Marovitz Golf Course.
• Between 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21, and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, in the 4700 block of North Marine Drive, Uptown.
• At 2:56 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, in the 4300 block of North Marine Drive, Uptown.
• Between 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30, and 6 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, in the 4900 block of West Cullom Avenue, Portage Park.
• Between 11 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30, and 8:10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, in the 3600 block of North Long Avenue, Portage Park.
• Between 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30, and 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, in the 4900 block of West Montrose Avenue, Portage Park.
• Between midnight and 9:15 a.m. Friday, Jan. 30, in the 5400 block of West Edmunds Street, Jefferson Park.
• Between 7:20 p.m. Friday, Jan 30, and 9:45 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, in the 4900 block of North Lester Avenue, Jefferson Park.
• Between midnight and 10:50 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, in the 4400 block of North La Crosse Avenue, Portage Park.
• Between 8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, and noon Monday, Jan. 26, in the 4800 block of North Linder Avenue, Portage Park.
• Between 11 p.m. Friday, Jan 30, and 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, in the 5500 block of West Edmunds Street, Jefferson Park.
• Between 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30, and 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, in the 3300 block of North Lamon Avenue, Portage Park.
• Between 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30, and 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, in the 6100 block of West Higgins Avenue, Jefferson Park.
• Between 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30, and 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, in the 3800 block of North Central Avenue, Portage Park.

The thieves were described as one or two males wearing jumpsuits, and possibly driving a red Ford F-150 with an unknown license plate and a black GMC pickup truck with dealer plates — both of which were reported stolen.

Similar airbag theft patterns have been reported recently in numerous areas of the city, including 10 thefts on the West Side and several in Hyde Park last month.

Chicago is the latest city to have reported airbag thefts, following Baltimore and Pittsburgh.

Experts said stolen airbags are often resold – either to unscrupulous auto shops or straight to unsuspecting consumers.

"An airbag can cost about $1,000 or even more to replace, but on the black market, thieves can steal one and flip it for 50 to 200 bucks," said Scott Holeman, spokesman for the Insurance Information Institute.

A quick search on Facebook Marketplace turned up dozens of Honda airbags for sale.

"I would be really, really wondering why it's for sale and where they got them. I'm hoping that Chicago Police and police in local communities outside the city are looking at these," said Paul Eisenstein, publisher of Headlight.News for the automotive industry.

Eisenstein said the Hondas involved in the thefts might be easy targets for a number of reasons.

"Depending on the airbag itself, like one in your steering wheel could be pulled out in as little as 60 to 90 seconds," he said.

There's also a huge demand for replacements.

"Over the last decade or so, we have seen a push to replace defective airbags produced by a Japanese supplier called Takata," Eisenstein said. "Somewhere in the area of 70 to 80 million airbags had to be replaced, because the original ones had a risk of malfunctioning, misfiring, and even killing people in some instances."

Experts at the Insurance Information Institute said it's unlikely the rash of airbag thefts targeting Hondas could lead to insurance rates increasing or policies being dropped for owners of those vehicles, as opposed to how some insurers refused to cover some Hyundai and Kia models that have been targeted by thieves because of a lack of engine immobilizing anti-theft devices.

Auto mechanics have said it can cost up to $4,000 to have airbags replaced. They recommended car owners use steering wheel clubs, since thieves would have to cut through them to get to a vehicle's airbag.

Anyone with information on the West Side airbag thefts is asked to contact Belmont Area detectives at 312-744-8263 or Grand Central Area detectives at 312-746-7394, or submit an anonymous tip at CPDTIP.com, using reference number 26CWP004.