Vehicle component theft rises as criminals target high-value parts

Criminal activity involving vehicles is shifting from the theft of entire cars to the targeted dismantling of high-value components. Statistics indicate a decline in the number of complete vehicles being stolen and deregistered, while reports of individual part thefts are increasing due to higher profit margins for criminal groups.

High-value targets include adaptive cruise control radars, which can be removed in seconds and cost between 8,000 and 16,000 PLN to replace. Other frequently stolen items include LED headlights, catalytic converters containing platinum and rhodium, airbags, seats, and multimedia systems. Standard security measures like alarms and immobilizers often fail to prevent the rapid removal of these parts.

Additionally, there is a rising trend in the theft of charging cables from public electric vehicle fast-charging stations. In Germany, reports indicated as many as 70 cable thefts per day during peak periods. These cables contain significant amounts of copper, and while the scrap value is relatively low, the replacement costs for operators range from 3,000 to 5,000 PLN per cable.