Car theft is not what it used to be. Gone are the days when thieves took entire vehicles. Now they focus on specific parts that can be removed quickly and sold at a profit.
Today, there are several very expensive parts that are not a big task to remove, and the booty can fit in a larger bag. Such is the case with the headlights of premium models, which has led to a disturbing new trend in the UK: the “eyes” of more and more luxury cars are being cut out.
A halogen headlight is not a great value even in new cars, but newly developed LED-matrix units equipped with electronics and expensive components already have a much higher price tag. However, they also deteriorate, break, and are in high demand in demolition companies.
Demand also drives up prices, so the price of a headlight can reach hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
The part is expensive and the demand is high
Take for example the BMW Series 4, where the price of a special laser headlight goes well over one million forints, but they are not the most expensive. The Matrix LED units in the Audi Q7 model cost HUF 1.53 million.
While stealing a headlight assembly may involve some collateral damage—think bumpers, fenders, and hoods—it’s still much faster to steal it than the whole car. Plus, it’s easier and safer for criminals to sell individual parts to local stores or unsuspecting online buyers who likely think they’re getting a good deal.
Such attacks do not require a laptop or advanced technical knowledge, they rip out the headlights with simple vandalism and leave quickly. Although such a theft does not result in a total economic loss for the affected premium vehicles, the repair is not cheap, especially if the bodywork is also damaged.
According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of vehicle vandalism cases increased by 2 percent between April 2023 and March 2024, from 52,268 to 53,369. This alarming number also includes cases of parts stolen from parked vehicles, such as wheels, headlights and even mechanical parts.
According to a British company called Tracker, vehicles are worth more disassembled than assembled, thanks to the constantly rising price of replacement parts. In the first half of 2024 alone, Tracker and UK police have identified 37 ‘wrecking shops’ specializing in the dismantling of stolen cars, a significant increase from the 55 similar cases handled in 2023.
Source: www.vezess.hu
