Airbag thefts on the rise (October 01, 2006)

Increasingly, over the past eight to 10 years, thieves have been breaking into cars for their airbags, according to Robert Tremblay, manager of industry issues at the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC).

Depending on the type and make of a car, auto safety airbags can cost upwards of CD$2,500 per unit, which may be motivating thieves to steal the bags.

Kevin McClafferty, a research scientist with the University of Western Ontario’s collision research team, says driver-side airbags can cost up to CD$1,500 to buy, while airbags on the passenger side range from CD$1,000 to CD$2,500.

Tremblay says the IBC is concerned regarding what is done with the stolen airbags. It is possible that damage might occur during the break-in and may therefore the stolen airbags could be dangerous if they are used as parts into another car.

Current airbag models are complicated, according to McClafferty. They deploy at different levels, depending on the severity of a crash.