Table of Contents
Even by the requirements of the outrageous periods we’re in now, this is a bizarre one, even for auto thieves. They’re thieving steering wheels. Which is not news, as people highly-priced airbags inside of the steering wheel hub can experience rewards for the brazen. But there is a additional puzzling layer of steering wheel theft likely on much more not long ago specially targeting Chevy Malibu steering wheels. What is up with that?
Vehicles deliver an limitless supply of content for burglars. Catalytic converters, fuel, and for individuals with bolder ambitions, the entire car or truck, and thieving gasoline immediately from gasoline station storage tanks. But precisely, in and all around Detroit, the steering wheels of alternative arrive from Chevy Malibu sedans. Smashing in the driver’s window and snagging the steering wheel usually takes just a few of minutes.
Why can it get months to get substitute Malibu steering wheels?
And then the owner is left with replacing the reported window and steering wheel. But that is only the beginning of the headache due to the fact, at least in the Detroit metro place, Malibu steering wheels are on backorder. Some sellers have to wait months right before replacements arrive. So that means your Chevy Malibu is down for the time it can take to get a new wheel.
In an interview on WXYZ-Tv set, one Detroit maintenance store proprietor explained, “They are just not out there to get because everybody demands them. They’re just carrying out this at all the different shops. So my supply household, when I simply call, they’re like, ‘Greg, we have 50 on backorder suitable now at all of the stores we service.’”
Why Malibu steering wheels?
But why Chevy Malibus? It looks that by removing two screws, the steering wheel comes suitable off. So it is an simple, brief way to seize a wheel and go. And with a lot of commonalities for components like these, the airbags should have applications in several other automobiles.
And there are many Malibus out there. While gross sales dwindled very last yr, for the past five several years there are almost 600,000 of them out there. The Malibu has been a dollars cow for Chevy for yrs. And it still is for airbag thieves.
What do law enforcement advise?
Of class, police will explain to you what they tell everybody who is a target of catalytic convertor/airbag/ gas/tire theft lock your automobile, park it in a garage or enclosure, or in a properly-lit spot. Stability cameras come in helpful as very well. They’re turning out to be much less expensive, particularly the types integrated into your front doorbell.
And they suggest steering wheel lock bars like “The Club.” Certainly, they can be reduce off, or the steering wheel can be minimize to get rid of it. But in these conditions, the thieves will almost certainly just go away it on and steal the steering wheel with the Club attached.
But if you personal a Chevy Malibu in the Detroit location, acquire some excess safety measures. You never want to have to hold out for months when your auto sits powering a restore shop although they wait around for the subsequent shipping and delivery of steering wheels.
Connected: Robbers Suck: 7 Do-it-yourself Ways to Protect You Automobile From Theft