Overview
- CPD says at least two organized crews are targeting Honda Civic steering-wheel airbags across multiple neighborhoods, including Hyde Park, Bucktown, and the Near West Side.
- Investigators report one crew may be using a red Ford F-150 and list strikes on specific West Side blocks from late December through mid-January.
- Thefts take as little as 20 seconds, with online listings in the Chicago area offering Honda airbags for about $120 to $400 apiece.
- Factory replacements cost roughly $1,000, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau estimates about 50,000 airbags are stolen nationwide each year.
- Repair shops report lengthy backlogs for legitimate parts, and the NICB warns some shops may install stolen airbags; police ask for tips to Area Three detectives at 312-744-8263 referencing case P25-3-054.