Security surprise: Thieves now targeting parking sensors and airbags

Car thieves are now targeting parts such as parking sensors and airbags as the black market for stolen car parts thrives.

The theft of parking sensors quadrupled in 2024 as car criminals move to stealing car components rather than taking the vehicles themselves.

Admiral Car Insurance figures show parking sensor theft increased a whopping 294% between 2023 and 2024. That’s because they are both very easy to steal and have a high resale value on the black market.

Parking sensors, which can cost anything between £100 and £300 when new, can be sold on in multiple ways, including to garages, online marketplaces or drivers seeking cut-price replacements.

For high-end vehicles, parking sensors are even more expensive making them even more lucrative for criminals.

It’s not just parking sensors, either. Steering wheels, particularly the airbags within them, are also being targeted.

Admiral motor claims director Adam Gavin says this trend is particularly concerning. "Airbags can cost as much as £1200 when purchased new, making them attractive to thieves who will then sell them on for a fraction of the price.

"Some criminals also use stolen airbags in fraudulent insurance claims, replacing deployed airbags with stolen ones and charging customers or insurance companies for ‘new’ parts."

Car owners can unknowingly be lured in by cheap prices. "Illegal chop shops can sell stolen, faulty airbags to unsuspecting customers for a lot less than authorised or reputable repairers, and still make a profit.

"These cheap deals can be tempting, but if you’re having repair work done on your car that requires a replacement airbag, you should always have it done by authorised, reputable repairers, who only ever use approved parts sourced from specialist suppliers."

Clive Wain, head of police liaison for Tracker Network UK, blames the trend on the rise in illegal ‘chop shops’. These are where stolen vehicles are dismantled and their parts sold on.

"As major manufacturers face ongoing production delays and parts become harder to source, criminal networks are stepping in to meet demand – stelling vehicles to strip and resell various parts. It’s a classic case of supply and demand," he says.

He added that some criminal gangs are even using sales performance metrics from parts already sold online for gangs to target even more cars from particularly lucrative models.  

Ask HJ

What is a reasonable amount of time for an insurance company to process a theft claim?

What is a reasonable amount of time for an Insurance Company to process a theft claim?

Every claim is different and could take a number of months to fully investigate and resolve. With theft claims, the time taken can depend on the circumstances around the investigation, especially if the police are involved. The best thing to do would be to keep regular contact with your insurer to understand the progress of your claim and they should be able to provide you with an updated timeframe.

Answered by Rhydian Jones

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