“Ruthless” gangs with “no morals” are stripping vehicles of life-saving airbags to flog onto car body shops for £500 where they’ll be fitted into recently crashed cars
Callous organised crime mobs are putting thousands of lives at risk with “invisible” car airbag thefts. Crooks can nick the life-saving balloons from behind the driver’s steering wheel in less than five minutes.
The thugs then flog them to dodgy car body shops for £500 — which fit them into vehicles after a crash. Experts say motorists have no idea they are getting a car back or buying it with no airbags. And they warn thousands of lives are being put at risk over the scam.
Car safety expert Luke Frankton, from Dartford, Kent, said of the new crime trend: “It’s a huge issue. Each incident is putting a life at risk.
The gangs are deliberately targeting cars so it does not look like there has been a break in after. This is putting hundreds, if not thousands, of lives at risk.
“These criminals are ruthless. They have no morals. It’s being done on scale and it is organised. This isn’t a petty theft crime — it’s targeted, it’s on purpose.”
Stolen airbags are also being flogged on shopping sites for a few hundred pounds, making the thefts worth fortunes.
In recent months, police forces across the country including in Essex, Derbyshire and Greater Manchester have issued warnings for drivers to be alert to the scam.
Experts say BMWs and Aldis are most impacted. The crime has been huge in the US in recent years but has now found its way to Britain.
Ian Jones, claims theft operations manager at insurers Admiral said: “Our data shows that the number of claims for stolen steering wheels has increased in recent years, with a 5% rise last year.
“You might wonder why a thief would take a steering wheel, but it’s what’s inside they’re really after. We understand that they’re being stolen for the airbags housed inside them.
“In the last two years, we’ve received over 200 claims for steering wheels targeted for airbags. The vast majority of these appear to be BMWs, however our data shows that most popular makes, including Mercedes and Land Rovers have also been hit. Our research shows several reasons why criminals are cashing in on airbags, including high resale value.
“Airbags can cost anywhere up to £1,200 when purchased new, making them attractive to thieves who sell them on the black market for a fraction of the price.”
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