Why Are People Stealing Honda Radar Sensors?

There's something really odd happening with Hondas parked across New York City, Baltimore, and the D.C. metro area. Owners are walking up to their cars and finding something odd missing. And no, it's not something too serious either, like we've been seeing lately, such as the rise in catalytic converter thefts. Rather, it's something as seemingly innocuous as that "H" badge on the front grill.

People have been posting about this odd occurrence on social media, too. One Honda CR-V owner in Yonkers posted a TikTok showing exactly what it looks like. The clip showed the car with its badge gone, and all that was left in its place were the bare plastic recesses where it had once been attached to the grille.

But why is a Honda logo, a seemingly inexpensive piece of metal, worth so much suddenly that thieves are risking it all for it? Turns out, there's actually a radar sensor tucked right behind that badge, and it's worth hundreds of dollars. That hardware is a part of Honda Sensing, the company's suite of driver-assistance features that enable things like adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking. The radar specifically is designed for better detection of cars, motorbikes, and pedestrians.

It's the ease of theft that makes this so tempting. On many Honda models — the CR-V and Accord especially — removing one takes less than 30 seconds. And all it takes is some boldness and a flathead screwdriver. As for the owner, well, the pain is more than just cosmetic.

Due to the additional hardware crammed into these logos, replacing one doesn't cost just a few bucks. Multiple auto body experts have reported that sticking a new radar sensor on your Honda will run you somewhere between $2,000 and $3,000. That figure goes up by another $500 once you account for recalibration. Now, you'd expect that thieves are making good money off of something that sets their owners back by so much. Instead, they're flipping their loot for just $100 or $150 online.

But that hasn't deterred thieves. In fact, Baltimore police have reported at least eight of these thefts within a single month in one district alone. And it's not just Hondas either, as Toyotas, Mazdas, Hyundais, and Acuras all use similar implementations, making them suitable targets as well. But the Honda CR-V takes the top spot on the list of victims because it's one of the best-selling vehicles in the country. Moreover, every Honda today comes standard with a full suite of driver-assistance tech, so there's a really good chance of a logo packing a sensor in there. Multiple Honda models are already some of the most stolen cars in America, so this new trend doesn't really do the brand a favor.

If you're a Honda owner, one of the simpler solutions is buying a metal radar protector. These run about $50 to $60 and bolt over the sensor. They're sold by several companies right now, and considering the massive costs of a full replacement, they're worth it. But with them comes another problem. One CR-V owner on Reddit recounted how they ended up spending a lot more than paying just for the sensor. Since they had a protector installed, the thief ended up ripping off the entire front grille instead, which resulted in $10,000 worth of bodywork. A better solution would be deterrence. Besides installing a protector, experts have also recommended parking in well-lit areas or a garage wherever possible. You can also position your car such that the front end is harder to access.

For its part, Honda has said that it's monitoring these trends in theft and has been incorporating findings into future security improvements. Whether that actually translates into a meaningful design change remains to be seen. But for now, the aforementioned tips are your best bet.