All over Fairfax County, thefts of airbags and catalytic converters from parked cars are hitting motorists hard.
One week in late August, three air bags were stolen from cars in the West Springfield Police District, which includes Burke.
"It's not just the West Springfield District, but all over the county," a police spokeswoman said.
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Both airbags and catalytic converters, which reduce the harmfulness of car emissions, offer enticing targets for thieves. The airbags can be sold to unscrupulous auto body shop owners for a fraction of the market value. The converters contain rhodium and platinum, two valuable metals that can be sold as scrap.
Stealing an airbag is pretty straightforward. "[A thief] would take power off it to take apart whatever parts of the steering column they need to take it out," said K.C. Haar of K.C.'s Automotive in Burke Village. On the passenger side, an airbag would be cut out of the dashboard.
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Catalytic converters can be stolen quickly, but not quietly. "It's really brazen. They've got to have a saw. It's loud," Haar said. Still, the momentary risk is worth it to some.
"We've figured out they can pop out a catalytic converter in 90 seconds," a police spokeswoman said. SUVs seem to be the target of choice, because it is easier for thieves to slide underneath higher up cars.
Replacing a stolen airbag is expensive. "Usually the dealer takes care of that," said Buddy Apperson, owner of Burke Auto Service Experts, as airbags are usually specific to a car. The National Insurance Crime Bureau, a non-profit group that works to combat insurance fraud and auto theft, reports that new airbags cost about $1,000 plus labor. On the black market they can go for a few hundred.
Unlike other thefts of valuables and tools from cars, there is little motorists can do to prevent the theft of car parts. These are also hard crimes to solve, as the stolen parts do not usually end up in pawnshops where they can be traced back to the thief, the way other stolen goods often are.
"We work on the proactive side," said the police spokeswomen. Police work to heavily patrol areas with many parked cars, such as metro stations, in early morning and daytime hours when most of the thefts occur.
While thieves stole a number of airbags in late August, both police and local mechanics emphasize the theft of airbags and catalytic converters are part of a long-term pattern, not a sudden surge.
"Actually I haven't seen much recently," Apperson said. "They hit hard last Thanksgiving or Christmas."