Help Catch a Thief! Any way to match an airbag to a car?| Off-Topic Discussion forum |

16vCorey PowerDork
10/10/12 3:05 p.m.

Edit: I"ll tell you later.

Cone_Junky Dork
10/10/12 3:08 p.m.

I'm sure the cops can confiscate them from the thief if he has no proof of ownership, but proving that they are yours would be a bit tricky.

Ranger50 UltraDork
10/10/12 3:08 p.m.

Unless you have pictures of any scuffs or marks from the bags that are missing, nope.

It sure looks like yall are going to have to pull the bags until the car is finished and then reinstall.

Ranger50 UltraDork
10/10/12 3:20 p.m.

Buick Montego huh? Moron.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2007-BUICK-MONTEGO-DRIVERS-SIDE-AIR-BAG-/180985444972?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a2392ba6c

phaze1todd Reader
10/10/12 3:21 p.m.

Check with oem, they may be VIN etched.

Ranger50 UltraDork
10/10/12 3:22 p.m.

Hmmm... looking through the feedback, all of the bags sold are drivers side. Hmmmmm

Ranger50 UltraDork
10/10/12 3:27 p.m.

16vCorey wrote: Yep, the passenger side is way too hard to steal.

Not if you take the whole dash....

David S. Wallens Editorial Director
10/10/12 3:27 p.m.

Fingerprints on the cars?

Keith Tanner MegaDork
10/10/12 3:29 p.m.

Just because I have the opportunity, I checked - Miata airbags (looks like a 1990-97 model) do not have VINs on them. So it wasn't a requirement like it was for body panels, at least not in that timeframe. Bummer.

Curmudgeon MegaDork
10/10/12 4:11 p.m.

Airbags have a manufacturer's serial number but it doesn't have any correlation to the VIN. It may not even be for an individual bag, but rather for a specified production run, much like a tire DOT number identifies the week and year of manufacture but not an individual tire. There might be 5,000 with that particular DOT number on them.

By the way, it's the same deal with catalytic converters. The indie Mercedes shop had 12 stolen one night, the boss found them at a well known converter recycling firm. The owner of the shop told him 'if you find a VIN on one and it matches one of your cars then you can have it. Otherwise get the hell off my property.'

Grtechguy UltimaDork
10/10/12 4:33 p.m.

I didn't think you could ship airbags due to the nature of them

Curmudgeon MegaDork
10/10/12 4:36 p.m.

They can only be shipped via ground, no air freight.

Streetwiseguy SuperDork
10/10/12 4:39 p.m.

I hate to say it, but I'd probably just buy all the bags back from him. Its probably the least expensive situation.

Then I would burn his house to the ground after nailing the doors shut with him inside.

fast_eddie_72 UltraDork
10/10/12 4:40 p.m.

Cone_Junky wrote: I'm sure the cops can confiscate them from the thief if he has no proof of ownership, but proving that they are yours would be a bit tricky.

In my experience, getting the cops interested in anything like this is an uphill battle.

16vCorey PowerDork
10/10/12 4:49 p.m.

Curmudgeon wrote: They can only be shipped via ground, no air freight.

And even then they have to be shipped hazardous.

Ranger50 UltraDork
10/10/12 4:50 p.m.

Streetwiseguy wrote: I hate to say it, but I'd probably just buy all the bags back from him. Its probably the least expensive situation. Then I would burn his house to the ground after nailing the doors shut with him inside.

I think I wouldn't go to that exact extreme measure, but I think I would purchase enough of them and leave negative feedback stating he is dealing with stolen merchandise.