Airbag Theft

[Graham Butcher]

I just received an email from my insurer advising me to be on my lookout for airbag theft. Apparently so they claim that while it is as common as catalytic convertor theft, it is on the increase apparently and they claim that you may not be aware of this until the first time they are called upon to operate, and they can't because they're not there! Are they right? I'd have assumed that the thieves would not have replaced everything so the car normal. I'd also have assumed the ECUs, would try to communicate with the airbags and when not getting "I'm OK" response back, it would have flagged a warning on the dash?

 

Has anyone any experience this actually happening at all.

 

This the email, copied and pasted here.

 

Preventing Airbag Theft.

Will Kerr 14th April 2023

 

Airbags do a great job of keeping us safe, so it’s only fair to repay the favour. Here, we’ll talk  you through some tips on preventing airbag theft. 

First things first…

Is airbag theft a big problem?

In terms of raw numbers, airbags are stolen a lot less often than catalytic converters. However, it can be a lot more dangerous for the victim. That’s because, in both cases, you may not even know the part has been stolen. 

Driving without a catalytic converter is bad for the environment (and therefore illegal). But driving without an airbag increases your chances of serious injury or death. 

 

 

Why are people stealing airbags?

To sell on. Disruption to supply chains is creating greater demands for car parts, so criminals gangs are focusing in on car crime. Some garages will pay £200-£500 for a stolen airbag. 

This spookily-lit garage seems a bit sketchy.

How long does it take to steal an airbag?

An experienced thief can have your airbag away in around 6-8 minutes. 

Which models are most at risk of airbag theft?

Airbags are manufacturer specific. That’s to say, you can’t put any old airbag in any old car. Thieves will therefore want to target:

• Airbags from very common models that they can expect to sell on. 
• Airbags they already know there’s a demand for – the more expensive the better. 

Reportedly, some thefts are being carried out ‘to order’ on behalf of garages looking for a particular type of airbag. This suggests the latter option is probably more popular. 

How do I keep my airbag safe from thieves?

• Get a steering lock. This is a visual deterrent that will often put thieves off just by being there. Check out our guide to steering locks and make a wise investment. 
• If you can’t park in a garage (which is probably the best way of preventing airbag theft), choose somewhere well-lit, preferably in view of a camera.  
• Only use reputable garages. As well as buying stolen airbags, it’s not unheard of for dodgy repair shops to steal airbags themselves, simply removing them in the course of doing other work. 

What should I do if my airbag is stolen?

As with any crime, you should call the police, report what’s happened and get a crime reference number. You’ll also need to contact your insurer to get things moving with your claim (assuming you’re on a policy like ours which covers theft). 

Taking as many pictures as you can will be helpful, both for the police and your insurance claim. 

Can I still drive my car if my airbag has been stolen?

While it’s obviously a risk to your safety, there’s nothing to say you can’t legally drive without an airbag installed. Of course, not all thieves are subtle about their work. Some simply rip the airbag system right out, damaging the car – or even removing the steering wheel altogether. In that case, you may not be able to use their car at all until repairs are done. 

 

Edited 9 August, 2023 by Graham Butcher

[Breezy_Pete]

Was there a clickable link in this email? It sounds spammy at first hearing?

[Gizmo]

The airbag light would be on if you remove an airbag. 

[Graham Butcher]

11 minutes ago, Breezy_Pete said:

Was there a clickable link in this email? It sounds spammy at first hearing?

It was a genuine message from my insurer, Better by Miles, I have pasted it in my original message.

[Graham Butcher]

8 minutes ago, Gizmo said:

The airbag light would be on if you remove an airbag. 

That was also my understanding, maybe not all cars are equal?

[Paws4Thot]

42 minutes ago, Breezy_Pete said:

Was there a clickable link in this email? It sounds spammy at first hearing?

 

28 minutes ago, Graham Butcher said:

It was a genuine message from my insurer, Better by Miles, I have pasted it in my original message.

Possibly to a name like www.Russian_Mafia.co.ru/ransomware.exe ?  

[Graham Butcher]

22 minutes ago, Paws4Thot said:

 

Possibly to a name like www.Russian_Mafia.co.ru/ransomware.exe ?  

No, it is a genuine thing, the links in my post are clickable and only refer to their own site and also the UK.gov site for motor law regarding the driving of a car with no airbag.

Edited 9 August, 2023 by Graham Butcher

[BOD20]

A quick Google search reveals that this is actually genuine !

 

I don't know about you not knowing if your airbag has been stolen but I don't suppose the thieves care much about that.

[D402]

It's laughable to suggest that "you may not even know the part has been stolen". No way would a thief replace an airbag with a dummy part or weld up an exhaust system after cutting the cat out.

 

ETA: A really unscrupulous garage might I suppose...

Edited 9 August, 2023 by D402
On second thoughts...

[numskull]

Yes, there are airbag thefts but it’s nowhere near on the scale of Cats and the cars themselves. It’s a very amateurish scaremongering communication piece.

[Ootohere]

http://bymiles.co.uk/insure/magazine/author/will-kerr

http://bymiles.co.uk/insure/magazine/common-obd-error-codes-and-what-they-mean-for-your-car

 

 

Big problem. 

Insurance companies and them selling write offs that go back on the road without a proper inspection, maybe a MOT maybe not.

 

Then cars that are crashed and never any insurance claim made and repaired properly or not with parts from wherever.

 

Cars that had Airbags deployed and might get a new one, or a used one, or one robbed from some poor sods cars.

Seat belts that are not replaced, etc etc.

 

Then there are the Air Bag recalls, well the not Recalled actually years after they should be.

Then all the cars with out of date airbags that you will never know if they work until they do or do not.

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/513183-recall-takata-airbags-april-2023

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/511789-skoda-recall-fyi

 

Edited 9 August, 2023 by toot

[cheezemonkhai]

8 hours ago, Graham Butcher said:

That was also my understanding, maybe not all cars are equal?

Legally they have to do it.

doesn’t stop them fitting load resistors, but why they would bother us beyond me.

[J.R.]

Will Kerr is his nom de plume, his real first name is Wayne 😄

[J.R.]

2 hours ago, toot said:

nsurance companies and them selling write offs that go back on the road without a proper inspection, maybe a MOT maybe not.

 

Then cars that are crashed and never any insurance claim made and repaired properly or not with parts from wherever.

 

Cars that had Airbags deployed and might get a new one, or a used one, or one robbed from some poor sods cars.

Seat belts that are not replaced, etc etc.

 

I can tick all those boxes with my vehicle.

 

I call mine a Category S because thats what it was, the salvage yard said it was a fleet vehicle, self insured by the company and no claim was made, that it would not be recorded.............

 

It made no odds to me because once re-registered in France any salvage markers are lost but the V5 did indeed carry no salvage marker.

 

I got second hand airbags, a reconditioned dashboard (the airbag ruptures it) seat belt mechanisms with new pyrotechnic charges as a kit from an Eastern European guy, most of the written off vehicles were going over there to be broken, mine would have too, when Mike went and inspected it for me he saw a transporter packed full of wrecks about to leave for Poland or Romania, there were 2 or more every day from this yard alone.

 

So the RHD vehicles go to Eastern Europe, some are repaired and return for resale, others the parts get removed, refurbished in the case of the dash and seat belts etc and then return to sellers like this guy who can undercut any of the domestic companies offering the same service, or at least he could, he was very concerned about Brexit.

 

All bar one or two of my vehicles have always been bought this way and put back on the road and then used by me for many years ,one even got written off a second time and I retained the salvage from my insurers, repaired it again and they re-insured it!

[Graham Butcher]

1 hour ago, J.R. said:

Will Kerr is his nom de plume, his real first name is Wayne 😄

I used to know someone with that name, I was sent to this company to collect some special leads for lighting controllers and was told to ask for Wayne Kerr and that he was expecting me. I was apprehensive, thinking it was a wind up, but it wasn't, it was his real name and he was director of the company, which I discovered when he gave me his business card.

 

Another time, many years ago I had to call on a company in Witney, and the contacts name was, according to the records I was given, Jack Pratt. 

[ApertureS]

You’ll know if your airbag has been stolen cause they don’t just take one…. It’s normally on a theft to order car and they will clear it out of parts that are needed to repair a crash damaged car.

 

plus if they somehow took an airbag, removed it from its covering and replaced the cover you would have a airbag light on (on all cars)

[J.R.]

I used to buy a lot of products from Bulgin Knobs 🤣

 

I googled them recently, they still exist but have changed the second part to something like "products" or "Components"

[numskull]

My mate went out with and then married a girl called Candice Hunt… absolutely true. 

[Graham Butcher]

That reminds of this 

 

[J.R.]

1 hour ago, numskull said:

My mate went out with and then married a girl called Candice Hunt… absolutely true. 

Sister to Isaac Hunt.

[numskull]

1 hour ago, J.R. said:

Sister to Isaac Hunt

😂 Would’ve been ridiculous but alas no: her sister was called Zanthea. 

[Calskil]

17 hours ago, J.R. said:

Sister to Isaac Hunt.

Children of Mike. 

[Gammyleg]

..and not forgetting Mr Janus...Hugh Janus.