Jan. 22, 2019—About 50,000 air bags are stolen every year and sold on the black market for hundreds of dollars, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Miami-Dade County is considered a hotspot for such crime, reported Local 10 News.
In Jan. 2018, the TV station reported an uptick of break-ins in Broward County where air bags were ripped out of steering wheels. Most of the vehicles targeted tend to be Honda Civics. The burglars are cutting open the steering wheel to extract the air bag.
Detectives say the thieves are reselling them in the black market to collision repair shops that are charging insurers and car owners the full price. Experts say the bags in Honda Civics could be in short supply due to Takata air bag recalls and the demand could also be linked to the popularity of the cars.
While an air bag could cost between $1,000-$3,000 with labor costs, thieves are selling them online for about $200 to $300, according to the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center.
