Back to USSR
During the Soviet era, drivers understood the constant threat of part shortages. Cars left in night yards were stripped in minutes, with thieves removing anything that could be unscrewed or torn off: wipers, belts, door mirrors, hubcaps, wheels, windshields, and batteries.
Owners learned to adapt: during the night, windshield wipers and mirrors vanished, caps were locked, and a protective device resembling a large thumbtack was pressed into the windshield rubber to deter prying.
Some people wonder whether the vigilance of the older generation deserves reflection.
Insurance companies on theft trends: cautious optimism
The press service of VSK Insurance House noted that the share of theft complaints about spare parts remained below last year. They observed that thieves are currently targeting premium wheels with prices starting around eighty thousand rubles.
Energogarant reported only a single case last week: a rearview mirror disappeared from a customer’s car.
Nevertheless, insurer optimism is tempered. The current calm is largely due to dealers and retailers keeping stock that will last for several months, up to summer.
The most frequent target remains original wheels. Thieves pursue high-end models as well as more affordable brands.
…Yet summer could bring a worsening
If the market cannot supply enough spare parts in the coming months and Russia produces few foreign parts locally, cars may be stripped and stolen more often.
Criminals will prioritize brands and models whose design allows quick removal of costly parts. Owners of Volkswagen Touareg, Porsche Cayenne, and Volvo XC80 and XC90 may lose headlights more often. Mirrors are commonly stolen from Mercedes-Benz and BMW vehicles.
The shortage of electronic components, evident even before sanctions, pushes thieves to explore new avenues. Vehicles equipped with active safety systems become at risk. Sensors, cameras, and radars can be removed with relative ease.
Expert Commentary
Tatyana Vilchevskaya, head of advertising and marketing at Energogarant, notes that spare-parts theft will rise, though predicting exact numbers is difficult. Most new foreign cars are well protected by alarms and other security measures. Parts expected to rise sharply in price, such as doors or windshields, cannot be removed quickly without specialized tools. The risk of increased overall car theft remains a concern. This could echo the challenges of the 1990s. There is also a surplus of older cars in the fleet, some right-hand drive, whose spare parts are more at risk of removal.
Demand creates supply
How the criminal situation evolves depends on how fast prices for parts rise. Many auto parts have already doubled in price. Notable increases include left front doors, windshields, rear doors, rear fenders, airbags, rear-view mirrors, wheels, hoods, and radiators. If prices continue to climb, some owners may be priced out of spare parts, pushing them toward dismantling markets that circulate stolen components, which in turn fuels thief activity.
Expert Commentary
Alexander Shumsky, head of the Probok.net Expert Center, states that the crisis will affect all car brands that cannot easily enter the country. European, American, and Japanese makes will be targeted, while Korean models may feel relatively safer unless someone tries to profit from a stolen Hyundai Solaris at a heavy discount.
The gray market and the black market
Rapidly supplying the market with non genuine, gray parts could help curb crime. For example, parts for Mercedes-Benz, VW, Skoda, BMW, Audi, Opel, Ford, and Fiat are produced by Begel Germany in Turkey; Ningbo Motors in China provides suitable parts for Porsche, Audi, BMW, Mercedes, and Volvo; while UAE manufacturers supply parts for American cars.
Car services are already arranging routes for original parts via neighboring countries of the Customs Union. Kazakhstan and Armenia have loosened restrictions, making it harder to ban European or American spare parts imports. Over time, logistics should improve, though intermediary services may add 10–20 percent to final costs.
How to protect a car from thieves? (insurer recommended)
- Store vehicles in secure areas and garages.
- Avoid leaving a car unattended for extended holidays.
- Use wheel locks and additional security systems.
- Do not carry the car keys with the alarm key fob.
- Test the alarm regularly and adjust the sensitivity of shock sensors and interior motion controls as needed.
- Keep the central locking engaged while driving.
- Install a mechanical lock on handlebars, pedals, or brakes.
- Attach a vehicle search beacon if possible.
- Consider insuring the car against theft or extending the policy to reflect the current value.
Theft occurrence and next steps
In the event of theft, contact the police and file a report. Insurance benefits typically require a police certificate. Timely communication with the insurer and careful contract review are essential to ensure coverage.