Not long ago, Chicago drivers were scrambling to protect their catalytic converters. Some paid hundreds of dollars for protective shields rather than risk a theft that could cost thousands.
Now we’re well into 2026, and car owners, whether you live in the city or are just here for a visit, face a new threat: Smashed windows and stolen airbags.
Airbag thefts are on the rise across the city, affecting the North, South and West sides alike, reminiscent of the airbag theft wave that hit during the 1990s as airbags became standard equipment in vehicles.
Criminals stole or damaged 2,073 airbags in the first five months of the year, compared to just 147 for all of 2023, 2024, and 2025 combined, ABC 7 reported. The risk is especially high if you own a Honda, due to the their popularity and the reported ease of airbag removal.
It’s a fix that isn’t as easy as you might think, and can cost thousands of dollars and incredible inconvenience for a part that ultimately can only fetch thieves a few hundred dollars at most. A vehicle missing an airbag has lost a critical safety feature, and many owners are forced to wait weeks for repairs. This safety feature is indispensable, which makes this new wave of thefts particularly pernicious.
The city has got to stop this. Airbag theft may sound like petty crime, but it’s not. People deserve to feel safe parking their cars in the city, and they need to be able to get to and from work, school and home.
That cost affects Chicagoans unevenly. While for some it’s an inconvenience, for others it means missed shifts, difficulty picking up children and lost mobility. It can be the difference between breaking even or taking on debt to buy the groceries in a given month. Insurance often doesn’t cover the entire cost of such a fix. The person on the hook for repairing their car may not have the means to do so.
Every dollar spent repairing vandalized property is a dollar that can’t be spent elsewhere.
Not to mention this trend likely won’t have any positive impact on the cost of auto insurance here in the city. More theft claims quite likely will lead to higher insurance premiums, which have already risen sharply in recent years.
So what to do?
Chicago police know how to set up task forces that focus on these types of crimes and can respond quickly, and reportedly are already setting up local units to shut down airbag theft crews. But they can’t be everywhere at once. Given how quickly these thefts can occur, catching a thief in the act would seem like a stroke of luck, though a quick response time could deter strings of thefts up and down a block, as has happened already this year.
Illinois law already makes it a crime to knowingly sell or install counterfeit or non-functional airbags.
Ald. Gilbert Villegas, 36th, has introduced an ordinance aimed at the black market for replacement airbags. The proposal would require extensive recordkeeping and impose steep fines on repair shops, recyclers, pawn shops and secondhand dealers that traffic in undocumented airbags.
This is a good idea.
Of course, concerned drivers can deploy steering wheel locks, which don’t prevent theft entirely but slow down the process and make a vehicle a less desirable target. Park in well-lit areas with active security cameras.
But the burden shouldn’t fall squarely on drivers. If City Hall is serious about stopping this crime wave, it should start by clamping down on the market that makes it profitable.
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