ARLINGTON, Va. — The Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) is investigating a series of stolen airbags after police said 10 vehicles were broken into overnight Wednesday. Police said airbags were stolen from seven of the vehicles and tires were stolen from two.
The break-ins happened in an Arlington County apartment community parking lot along South Eads Street. Several of the vehicles targeted were Hondas.
In late May, ACPD reported 35 airbags were stolen from vehicles over the course of three weeks.
The issue of airbags being stolen isn’t exclusive to Arlington, overnight Thursday the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office reported multiple complaints of vehicles that had airbags taken in the Sterling area.
Those thefts came hours after neighboring Fairfax County’s police department published a video on its Facebook page that said the Mount Vernon Police District also experienced an increase in airbag thefts towards the end of June.
“Over the last few weeks we have seen a large increase in the theft of motor vehicle parts with nearly 40 airbags being stolen from our district in one evening,” a Fairfax County Police Department community liaison officer said in the social media video. In the video, the liaison officer said the vast majority of those airbags were stolen from Honda Accords and Honda Civics.
“I know in the area they’re stealing a lot of airbags from Hondas, and I have a Honda, so it is concerning,” Fred Zimmerman said. “I’m just worried it’s going to happen to me, but I’ve been lucky so far. I hope I'll continue to be lucky.”
One woman whose car window was shattered overnight Wednesday, and doesn't own a Honda, said she found out when police knocked on her apartment door and told her she was one of 10 others who’d had their cars broken into.
“I just worry about security, hope nothing happens to our neighbors or in this area because this is a very nice and quiet neighborhood, I want to keep it that way,” the car owner who wished to be anonymous said.
Law enforcement officials urge people to park near security cameras, in well-lit areas, and to install a steering wheel lock.