Ventura County communities have seen an increase in thefts of third row seats in full-size sport utility vehicles. The thieves are targeting Chevy and GMC vehicles, although other vehicles with third row seats may be targeted. The thefts have occurred at shopping centers in Thousand Oaks, Camarillo and Moorpark during the daytime or early evening hours.
Thieves are targeting the seats because they are a popular commodity on the resale market. The third row seats can be removed in just a few seconds and resale can yield a profit upwards of around $1,500 per seat. Thieves resale these seats using craigslist, eBay or local swap meets. The replacement cost of a third row seat is around $4,000.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office would recommends the following safety measures to prevent you from becoming a victim:
·Secured the third row seat using a cable lock
·Engrave the vehicle identification number (VIN) on a location on the seat. (This will help with identification purposes or decrease their resale value)
·Remove your seat when not in use.
·Lock your vehicle and activate your vehicle alarm system.
In the wake of this recent increase, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind residents to be watchful of suspicious persons or vehicles. If you see any suspicious activity, contact the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office at (805) 654-9511 or 9-1-1 for an emergency.
