The want our airbags!!!!

[SyxXPaC]

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/airbag...6012713504.html

Airbag theft is on the rise, police warn, with at least nine cars targeted in an inner west Sydney suburb in just two days.

Thieves broke into nine Toyota Corollas on Friday and Saturday night last week in Leichhardt.

Inspector Patrick Stafford of Leichhardt police said the airbags were probably "stolen to order" and recycled into the professional and private car repair industry.

"These are not just kids who are breaking into these cars, these are professionals," Inspector Stafford said.

"They can jimmy a car open, take the airbag out and be gone in five to ten minutes."

Police said car airbags had been stolen from suburbs across Sydney.

Airbags are attractive to thieves because of their high value anywhere from a few hundred dollars to more than $3000 and the ease with which shonky car repairers can hide the origin of spare parts.

The recommended price for driver's side airbags for Toyota Corollas was about $1000, not including labour, the car manufacturer confirmed today.

Inspector Stafford said police were leaving letters under the windscreens of commonly targeted cars parked in Annandale, Balmain, Glebe and Leichhardt, warning motorists of the threat.

He advised people who parked their cars on the side of the street to park in a well lit area, use a steering wheel lock that covered the driver's side airbag and fit a car alarm, not simply an engine immobiliser, to deter thieves.

The secretary of the Australian Association of Automotive Electricians, Jeff Smit, called for stricter regulation of the paperwork repairers were required to provide to motorists, to ensure the parts being fitted came from a legitimate source.

"Customers should ask their repairer for detailed invoices," Mr Smit said.

[Saiya]

Geeeeez people will steal just about anything these days. Nothing is safe.

[kelvin33]

hahaha!! nothing gonna stop them!! it's all about luck!!

[traumatized]

i agree nothing is goin to stop them but if they see a club lock that blocks the airbag that will make them think twice. but seriously these days ppl will steal anything.

[neK]

air bags??? wtf!!!

I wonder what year toyota they are targetting...

[SuperDave]

Just remember, locks are only to keep the honest people out. ;)

[CAP]

So if I leave my car unlocked, I can upgrade to a Levin Steering wheel? :D

[Saiya]

Thinking aobut this im not sure if you can put a club lock on it as I think the airbag part is sticking out more than the steering wheel so if you do put the steering wheel lock on it will end up pressing the horn...

Gotta check that out when I finish work.

[CORZZA]

thanks for the info bill!

Cant believe ppl!

[XploShun]

So if I leave my car unlocked, I can upgrade to a Levin Steering wheel? :D

hahah great idea... or maybe the TRD one..

[traumatized]

i wonder if they are after the sportivo airbags or the other model airbags.

[SyxXPaC]

i dnt think they really care

[traumatized]

damn whats this world coming to.

[rolla02]

i wonder if they are after the sportivo airbags or the other model airbags.

I'm guessing they are the same for all ZZE122 and ZZE123.

The Rolla is currently the highest selling car in OZ hence the popularity of Airbags.

[traumatized]

no the steering wheels are different on the zze122 and the zze123, the airbag include the front face of the steering wheel (the horn area)

[1zzfewagon]

they can have my airbag anytime :P

[CAP]

Thinking aobut this im not sure if you can put a club lock on it as I think the airbag part is sticking out more than the steering wheel so if you do put the steering wheel lock on it will end up pressing the horn...

Gotta check that out when I finish work.

They do fit, I sometimes use one when parking in sh!tty spots

[kelvinsw]

I got a feeling that Air bag is stolen from doggy car repair shop. They take it, and they help you put it back. Big $. Car Windows...Antivirus (Mcafee, Symantec etc) All same.

[MT]

airbags arent exactly hard to steal... 5 to 10 minutes? not even close. only stealing drivers ones though i would imagine. corolla airbags are worth 2k+ so big bucks in knocking a couple off if you were a wrecker or something

[XploShun]

but why steal a corolla's airbag?

y not falcons and commodores?

[MR22ZZ]

corollas are the highest selling small-medium car and are commonly used as rentals... therefore, in more 'strange' accidents... nothing goes as fast as a rental ;)

dodgy repairers can scam money out of insurance companies quite easilly by using hot items rather then buy new replacements from the manuracturer

[69.NIX]

just put a sticker on ya car that says:

" This car is monited by a Sniper 3 nights a week, you guess which 3 "

or install a bolt gun under the car as part of the security system :)

[Rolla Boy]

They won't want mine, it's painted yellow lol...

Edited August 27, 2006 by Rolla Boy