How Car Radar Units Are Stolen In Minutes, Costing Owners Thousands

Have you recently noticed any late-model cars driving around without their front emblems? Fifteen years ago, a missing front emblem could’ve been a sign of being a bit tight for repairs after a minor collision, or petty theft by teenagers looking for souvenirs. But the situation’s changed. Thieves are reportedly popping off emblems not for a thrill, but for what’s behind many of them.

These days, almost all cars offer some sort of automated emergency braking systems, and many cars from the brands I mentioned feature advanced driver assistance system radar units mounted behind their front emblems. It’s a fairly sleek way of disguising a bulky sensor, but the sheer cost of these sensors has given the sticky-fingered a new target.

It feels like only a few years ago that catalytic converter theft was the big story. Well, as KGET reports, claims filed due to stolen catalytic converters fell in 2023, with State Farm reporting a further 74 percent drop in claims in 2024. Why? Well, let’s start with the fact that stealing a catalytic converter is laborious. A thief has to raise most cars off the ground to get to the emissions components, then physically cut them out without being detected. Assuming a collapsed jack or alerted owner doesn’t lead to a squashed or detained human, then there’s the matter of reselling these restricted parts. Several states, including New Mexico, South Dakota, and Minnesota, require paper trails for any metal recycler taking in used catalytic converters. We’re talking stuff like seller ID and proof of vehicle ownership. In many jurisdictions, common thieves will need to fence pilfered catalytic converters through middlemen to get them sold, but those sorts of restrictions don’t apply to radar sensors.

In contrast, many front radar sensors can be taken quickly using basic tools and without the need to lift a targeted vehicle off the ground. As WUSA9 in Washington, D.C. reports,

Yeah, less than five minutes. What’s more, the market for second-hand radar sensors is real, largely because automatic emergency braking isn’t infallible. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has found that “[Forward Collision Warning] alone, low-speed AEB, and FCW with AEB reduced rear-end striking crash involvement rates by 27%, 43%, and 50%, respectively.” That last number is especially great, but it’s definitely not 100 percent. Some cars with automatic emergency braking will still hit things, and when they do, that front-mounted radar sensor will probably need replacement and recalibration.

Unsurprisingly, new replacement radar sensors are relatively expensive. A unit for a 2023 Honda CR-V will run you $508.60 from Honda, and while that isn’t exactly thousands, there’s enough potential upside there for thieves to target these devices. Add in the ability to simply sell used units easily and pocket at least $100 per unit, and reports across the globe make a certain deal of sense.

Baltimore police told WBAL-TV 11 News that they’re investigating at least eight reported incidents over the past month, all within the Highlandtown area.

As WBAL-TV 11 News continues, “doorbell camera video captured two people working quickly,” which means this raft of recent thefts in one specific area could simply be the work of two people. That would be a light operation. Meanwhile, across the pond, thefts of these radar sensors have been an ongoing problem for years. As the Guardian reported in 2024:

A VW specialist in the Midlands said he had experienced a big jump in sensor thefts “in the last few months,” and in recent weeks, motorists across the capital have been reporting thefts on social media groups.

Tara O’Driscoll, from Clapham in south-west London, said she had fallen victim to the crime and had heard of more than 50 other reports of thefts in the borough since posting on social media about her experience. On some London roads, owners have reported that every VW car that features the sensor has had it taken.

A cursory glance online quickly reveals a litany of reports of stolen radar sensors. Here’s one on the Honda CR-V subreddit from a user in Queens, New York. The original poster stated, “My emblem along with the radar sensor was stolen. When I called Honda to see how much it would cost, they told me that it would cost me $2,000 plus a programming fee.” That’s a huge cost for something that can allegedly be stolen in minutes.

Here’s a post on the MB Club forum about an allegedly stolen radar sensor on a W205 C-Class. Like on many cars, the radar unit on these previous-generation C-Classes sits behind the front emblem, and thieves may have found a way to access them quickly.

The last two days I was getting a warning on the dash ‘Active Brake Assist Functions limited’. A search on the internet led me to believe someone may have stolen a sensor from behind the front Mercedes badge.

I was horrified to discover screwdriver marks next to the merc sign and after removing the badge which had been replaced loosely I found there was no sensor and just loose wires (see image).

This all points towards an emerging pattern in car crime, so if you own an affected model like a recent Honda, what can you do to protect yourself? Well, some forms of anti-theft hardware are already on the market. Theft Protection Solutions sells sensor shields for many 2017 through 2022 Hondas that feature metal frames and security bolts to deter thieves. For around $50, something like this may be worth a punt.

Likewise, Miller CAT also makes radar unit anti-theft shields for several Honda models, and the problem is reportedly big enough that the New York Police Department’s 116th Precinct took to Facebook to state, “Do you have a Honda CR-V? Criminals are going after their Emblem sensor [sic]. This product can help prevent that from happening.”

Radar sensors are the latest in a long line of commonly stolen car parts. Radios, wheels, and catalytic converters have been so historically stolen that they’re basically tropes. However, unlike wheels and radios, it’s much harder to replace a radar sensor yourself because it needs to be calibrated. For now, stay alert, and if you live in an area where radar unit theft has been reported, maybe take precautions. If a $50-or-less shield can prevent a four-figure repair bill, it could be worth a shot.

Top graphic images: Reddit; stock.adobe.com