CAR FOUND AT CRIME SCENE LINKED TO THEFT OF AIR BAGS.

Byline: Stacy Brown Daily News Staff Writer

Sheriff's deputies are hoping that a car found Tuesday in Newhall will provide clues in a string of automotive air bag thefts dating back two years.

Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Steve Dolan said deputies responding to a theft in progress in the early morning hours Tuesday near Whispering Leaves Drive found a car believed to have been used by the thieves.

``The bad guys got away, but we did get the car,'' Dolan said.

The number of thieves involved in Tuesday's heist was not immediately known.

Lead investigator Sgt. Mitch Clark declined to provide additional information on the vehicle recovered or what or who tipped off deputies.

``It is an ongoing investigation so as far as the suspects or the vehicle involved is concerned, it would not be advisable that I speak further on the matter at this time,'' Clark said.

Air bag thefts in the Santa Clarita Valley have been an increasing problem since 1996, authorities said. During a recent one-week period, thieves stole eight air bags in the Saugus area alone.

The ongoing problem contributed to a 1.67 percent increase in crime in the nation's fourth-safest big city, according to the latest quarterly statistics released Aug. 1.

Automobile Club of Southern California officials said the bags generally are difficult to steal because of what is involved in removing them.

In order to remove the bags without having them activate, the thieves had to pop open the cars' hoods and damage their batteries, an Auto Club spokeswoman said.

Deputy Mitch Slack said air bag thefts have become common. ``It's usually the imports, such as the Nissans and the Hondas,'' he said.

Auto experts said the bags cost from $1,000 to $2,000 to replace and suspect that thieves sell them for as little as $200 to small body shops.

Locating stolen air bags is difficult because they don't have serial numbers, Auto Club officials said.

Anyone with information about the thefts can call the Santa Clarita Valley sheriff's station at [phone] or the new Crime Tip Hotline at (805) 284-2-TIP.