Baltimore body shop owner sees trend of steering wheel airbag thefts

By Alex Glaze

July 20, 2023 / 4:50 PM / CBS Baltimore

BALTIMORE -- Airbag theft and fraud is a growing crime trend, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, and the trend has reached Baltimore.

Yesterday, a Canton resident posted pictures in the Canton Neighbors Facebook group and said someone had stolen his steering wheel airbag from his Honda Civic.

"When we get the vehicle, usually it's in this condition," Loui Georgalas, the owner of Eastwood Body Shop, said.

Georgalas says his shop has had 12 customers in the past three months with the same problem: their driver-side airbags were stolen out of their vehicles.

"Every other shop in this area probably has a few of them or have done a few of them in the last few months," he said. "It's a very common occurrence, and it's something we expect when we hear that they have a Honda that was broken into. We expect the airbag to be stolen."

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, airbags have become a primary accessory on the black market for stolen vehicle parts. A new airbag retails for approximately $1,000 but costs just $50 - $200 on the black market.

For people who have been victimized by airbag thieves, replacing the stolen driver-side airbag and repairing any excess damage could be costly.

"The airbag itself is going to cost you $1,000 to $1,200," Georgalas said. "The parts, plus the labor, it ends up being pretty high."

So, what can a person do to protect their vehicle from thieves? Georgalas says any steering wheel mitigation device would help. The goal is to make your car less desirable to criminals.

"People that come in here to steal these things are coming in to steal them in a quick grab-and-go fashion," he said. "If you have something to deter them, that's really the only thing you can do."

Alex Glaze is an award-winning reporter who joined WJZ in August 2022. Before joining WJZ, Alex worked as a weekend sports anchor in Atlanta, Georgia and Toledo, Ohio. He has also worked as a sports betting analyst for MSG Networks and Cheddar News.

First published on July 20, 2023 / 4:50 PM

BALTIMORE --