MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Residents at Buckley Towers condos in North Miami Beach are dealing with the aftermath of a string of air-bag thefts after multiple vehicles were targeted.

Standing in one of the affected areas, the damage stretches across rows of cars. The total reached 19 vehicles.

Residents described the suspects as “air bag pirates.”

One resident said his wife called him after discovering their vehicle had been broken into.

“I was just surprised this afternoon and my wife called and said ‘do I know what’s happening’, I said no,” said resident Alex Cernabas.

“The air bag is gone. It’s very expensive. I went to look and on eBay for $750,” Cernabas said.

Residents said 19 cars in the area were hit, with five vehicles damaged in one section of the parking lot alone.

The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office is investigating.

One son said he is now helping his mother get to work because her car cannot be driven.

“My mom couldn’t go to work. I’m trying to help her with it,” he said.

Residents say the thefts bring more than just the loss of an air bag, replacing it with insurance deductibles, inconvenience and frustration.

“If the people that did this are watching tonight… I hope they go to jail for a long time and get a job. Don’t steal from people that are working,” said Mohammed Hussain.

Hussain owns the kind of vehicle residents believe is being targeted by the thieves. After learning that 19 cars had been hit, he said he plans to keep a close eye on his vehicle.

No arrests have been made. Residents said five cars were hit in that parking lot alone.

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