Chicago police issued a warning about a string of strange vehicle break-ins involving Honda Civics in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood last week. 

Thieves have recently been targeting the airbags fromCivics. Believe it or not, airbags on the black market are fetching a pretty penny. However, replacing them is even more expensive.

"Everybody was just flabbergasted as to why anybody would steal an airbag," said Justin Nurre of Erie-LaSalle Body Shop.

The shop, so far. has seen its second Honda Civic that's been targeted by airbag thieves in just the past few weeks.

"They basically popped it right out." Said James Mitchell with the body shop. "They actually cut the wires."

The first call they got about the airbags came before the Chicago police issued a formal warning about these thefts. After being in business for nearly 100 years, this is their second time seeing this.

Nurre said this was not uncommon decades ago when airbag technology was new and pricey. But now?

"I guess times are hard and people are stealing them to resell them again," he said.

The body shop and other businesses said airbags are not a product that a reputable business would buy or use.

"You'd always get a brand new one from the dealership," Nurre said.

The standout, according to Mitchell, is that they do cost a pretty penny, saying that all the damage done to get to that airbag is a costly fix.

"It can be upwards of $4,000 to have one replaced," Nurre said.

The thefts are not just happening here in Chicago. They have been reported in Baltimore and Pittsburgh as well.

Police said the crimes happened at the following times and locations:

• Monday, Jan. 5, at 5:40 a.m., in the 5300 block of South Shore Drive.
• Between 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, and 9:50 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, in the 5100 block of South Dorchester Avenue.
• Between 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, at 9 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, in the 5300 block of South Dorchester Avenue.

Airbags were also stolen out of Honda Civics last month in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood and the Lower West Side at the following locations:

• 800 block of West 16th Street on Dec. 21-22, 2025, from 4 p.m.to 8:05 a.m.
• 900 block of West 18th Street on Dec. 21-22, 2025, from 9 p.m.to 9:30 a.m.
• 2200 block of West Mclean Avenue on Dec. 21-22, 2025, from 4 p.m.to 6:30 a.m.
• 2000 block of West Armitage Avenue on Jan. 14-15, from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.
• 2300 block West Flournoy Avenue on Jan. 15-17, from 9 p.m. -11:30 a.m.

In those thefts, police said a group of males was possibly driving a red Ford F-150 with unknown plates.

How can people best protect themselves and their cars from a potential headache?

"A good old trusty club. Because that has to go across the airbag, and they would have to cut that off first," Nurre said.

Chicago police are still investigating the thefts. So far, no arrests have been made

CBS Chicago has reached out to Honda's corporate office to ask how to spot if they were given a black-market airbag, but has yet to hear back. 

Anyone with information is asked to call Wentworth Area detectives s at 312-747-8380, or send an anonymous tip at CPDTIP.com with reference #P26-1-003.

The video above is from an earlier report.