MOTORISTS and car dealers have been put on a renewed alert after another spate of air bag thefts in the region.
The culprits are putting their lives at risk, prising the ultra-sensitive equipment out of its housing inside steering wheels and dashboards.
Last year, more than 80 went missing from parked cars across Yorkshire, with more reported in County Durham and Cleveland.
The latest air bag thefts were reported in Scorton, Brompton-on-Swale and Scotton, in North Yorkshire, on Thursday night.
Patterns suggest that Fords are the thieves' favourite, as three of the five cars broken into were variants of the Focus.
Police suspect the stolen equipment will be offered to garages with accident repair workshops.
Anyone tempted to buy air bags second-hand should be aware they may inflate without warning, or may not be activated at all in an accident.
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