Chicago police are warning Hyde Park and East Hyde Park residents after at least three Honda Civics were broken into and stripped of their airbags in recent weeks, part of a nationwide surge in thefts driven by a lucrative black market for the safety devices.
The local thefts occurred between January 5 and January 15 in the 5100 and 5300 blocks of South Dorchester Avenue and South Shore Drive. In each case, thieves broke vehicle windows and removed steering wheel airbags from Honda Civics, according to the alert.
Airbag theft, particularly from Honda vehicles, has surged across many states, with thieves able to remove the devices in as little as 20 seconds and sell them on the black market for hundreds of dollars, according to law enforcement reports and auto body shops. Honda’s popularity makes the brand a consistent target, with parts in higher demand for both legitimate and illegal purposes…