Anne Arundel County police are warning residents of a rise in driver-side airbag thefts targeting parked Honda Civics, Accords, and HR-Vs in the Crofton, Hanover, and Laurel areas. Thieves have been breaking into vehicles overnight and stripping the airbag assembly from the steering wheel, an operation that can take under a minute for someone who knows what they’re doing.
The thefts follow a pattern seen in other cities, including Chicago and the Baltimore region, where Honda models have been a recurring target for years due to how their airbag assemblies can be resold to disreputable body shops or black-market parts buyers looking for cheaper replacement parts than dealers charge.
Why Hondas Specifically
Honda’s airbag assemblies are compatible across a wide range of model years, and the parts command a real resale price, often several hundred dollars, on the used and stolen parts market, making them a more attractive target than components that are harder to resell or fit fewer vehicles. That combination of easy removal and reliable resale value is what’s kept Honda models a recurring target across multiple cities over the past few years, not a new phenomenon specific to this month’s Anne Arundel County cases.
What Police Are Recommending
Anne Arundel County police recommend parking in well-lit, visible areas when a garage isn’t available, keeping doors locked and windows closed, and considering a visible steering-wheel lock or an alarm with glass-break or impact detection. Residents who discover a theft can report it through the department’s non-emergency line.
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