Report Exposes SeaTac Car Theft Problem

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Just like hospitals, hotels, even malls and movie theaters, airport parking is a popular destination for car thieves in many areas. We’ve known this for some time, but it seems many people don’t realize the risk they take when traveling. That’s why an investigation by KING 5 in Seattle on SeaTac car thefts doesn’t even stun us.

Lamborghini Urus stolen from airport parking garage with shocking ease.

The local news station found that from June 2023 through June 2024 a total of 474 cars had been stolen or prowled. Maybe we’re just jaded or know too much, but we’re a little surprised it wasn’t more.

Many of the thefts happen at nearby hotel parking lots, which offer significantly lower parking rates than the airport. Despite having gates, security, cameras, etc. those lots are still popular targets for thieves looking to score a ride.

Thankfully, the report also looked at SeaTac’s parking garage, finding it was also a popular hunting ground for car thieves. Over the last year, there have been 359 vehicle thefts and prowls, in case you were thinking parking there is a good idea.

One of the cases profiled in the KING 5 report was a woman’s truck stolen, used to commit other crimes, then dumped before the victim even knew it was missing. That’s perfect for criminals because they can roll around in a car which won’t trigger plate readers because it hasn’t been reported stolen.

Our advice for anyone catching a flight who’s concerned about their car getting stolen: get a ride to and from the airport. It doesn’t matter if you own a nice or crummy vehicle, thieves might steal it from any long-term parking lot. If you have a friend, family member, or a rideshare service take you to the airport, you cut out that risk entirely.

Image via KING 5 Seattle/YouTube

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