FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Hondas have become hot items for car thieves recently in Cumberland County, sheriff’s deputies said.
“It seems like in Cumberland County, when a Hondas gets stolen it just disappears,” Det. Terry Isaacs said.
Isaacs said 14 Honda cars have been stolen in the county since January. None of them has been recovered.
“I have a feeling they’re not keeping them long. They’re chopping them up in a day or two. They’re either shipping them out to different states or overseas,” Isaacs said.
Deputies busted a chop shop in eastern Cumberland County in 2008. Isaacs said in this most recent rash of Honda thefts, the cars are most likely going out of the county, where they are hacked up for their parts to be sold.
“They know what they’re doing. They can get that car and they’re gone in a very short period of time. Very seldom do they break a window out,” Isaacs said.
Honda Accords and Civics from the 1990s are the prime targets, Isaacs said. “Honda is a very lucrative vehicle for thieves to take.”
Bobby Miller’s 1995 Honda Accord had 165,000 miles on it when it was stolen from his driveway two weeks ago. He said the car was so reliable he couldn’t put a dollar value on it.
James Boon said his 1992 Honda Hatchback, with 254,000 miles on it, was also stolen from his driveway. “It was a car I was planning on keeping for at least another five or 10 years,” Boon said of the theft earlier this month.
Both vehicles were locked.
An 18-year-old, who asked not to be named, said his 1994 Honda Civic Hatchback was stolen from the Southview High School parking lot during the day this past spring. It was his first car.
Sheriff's detectives have no suspects in the car thefts. They encourage all car owners, especially those who own Hondas, to keep their doors locked and their cars in the garage.
A high number of Hondas have also been stolen in Durham County, officials said. This year, 46 Hondas – 29 Accords – have been stolen there since January.
