According to Bartok, they've seen an increase in incidents.
"We've seen around 200 steering wheel thefts, and that's over the last two years," Bartok said.
In March, Detroit Police shared a video showing a thief stealing a steering wheel in less than 30 seconds.
Police in Dearborn arrested two suspects for steering wheel thefts in August. The investigation resulted in over 30 steering wheels being recovered.
The reason…. thieves want the airbag.
"They're illegally selling the airbags afterward and making a profit," Cpl. Bartok says. According to authorities some auto repair shops and junk yards are illegally purchasing the airbags.
There's also a specific type of car thieves are going after.
"We've seen a substantial issue with Chevy vehicles, particularly the Chevy Malibu models," added Cpl. Bartok.
For drivers of that model, police want you to be vigilant about where you park your car, especially during nighttime hours.
Police say they plan to crack down on criminals stealing steering wheels and the businesses buying them.
"You know depending on the extent, this can be a serious felony charge with time in prison," Cpl. Bartok noted.
Originally from Chesapeake, Virginia, Terell has had a passion for broadcast journalism since childhood. Growing up, throughout his schooling he was known for doing the "morning announcements." Fitting he became a TV journalist, right?
According to police detectives, larger wheels—20 inches and above—are most attractive to thieves. As if all of that wasn't enough, these car parts can be relatively easy to fence. That's because, unlike the car itself, they're difficult to trace.
It is believed the steering wheels are being targeted as the airbags are expensive to replace if activated in a collision so there is a high demand on the second-hand market. Police are urging owners to consider buying a steering wheel security cover.
Stolen tires and rims will only be covered under your car insurance if you have comprehensive car insurance. Depending on your type of coverage on your insurance policy (check with your insurance company) they usually will pay replacement value for your stolen wheels and tires.
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.
On average, 950 complete sets of wheels are stolen from US households, every single day. Car dealers and workshops are estimated to be affected by equally as many thefts, probably even more. Here are four reasons as to why you need effective wheel locks on your car.
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