You’ve just spent six hours cramped in a middle seat, the guy next to you snored the whole way, and all you want is to find your SUV and head home. You walk to the fifth floor of the long-term garage at John Glenn International. You check the row. Then the next one. Your heart sinks. The spot is empty. Honestly, this isn't just a "bad luck" scenario anymore—it’s a growing trend across the Buckeye State.
Ohio airport vehicle thefts have spiked in ways that make frequent flyers nervous. While the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) recently noted a slight 17% dip in national vehicle thefts for 2024, the situation at major hubs like Cleveland Hopkins (CLE) and John Glenn Columbus (CMH) feels a lot different on the ground. Criminals aren't just looking for loose change in your console. They’re after the whole car, and they’re getting fast at it.
The Reality of Ohio Airport Vehicle Thefts Today
If you drive a high-end SUV or a specific model of Jeep, you might be looking at a target on your back. Take Columbus, for instance. Just recently, airport police confirmed that a string of Jeep Cherokee Trackhawks were swiped from the same long-term garage. Three of them. All the same model. All from the same floor.
It’s targeted.
Thieves aren't just wandering around hoping to find a car with the keys inside. They know what they want. Breann González Almos, a spokesperson for the Columbus airport, mentioned that while millions of cars move through these lots safely, these specific, high-performance thefts are "rare" but incredibly calculated. One recovered Trackhawk was found six miles away, stripped down to the bare frame. That’s professional work.
Cleveland Hopkins: A Hotspot for High-End Trucks?
Up north in Cleveland, the story shifts slightly to heavy-duty trucks. Dustin Marvin, a traveler who flew out for a quick two-day trip, returned to find his 2022 Ram TRX—a truck worth a small fortune—gone.
His Siri-paired GPS showed the truck’s last location in Parma.
Then, silence.
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Cleveland Police records show that dozens of vehicles have been reported stolen from Hopkins since the start of last year. The airport's parking operator, SP+, and the airport itself claim they’ve increased foot patrols and stairwell inspections. But when you’re dealing with a garage that holds thousands of cars, a security guard on a golf cart can only be in one place at a time.
Why Ohio Airports?
You’d think a place with 900+ cameras and a dedicated police force would be the last place a thief would hit. It’s actually the opposite. Think about it:
- Predictability: A car parked in "Long Term" is guaranteed to be there for days.
- The "Exit" Problem: Many thieves use the "Lost Ticket" button at the kiosk. They pay the maximum daily rate—maybe $25 or $30—and drive a $90,000 car right out the front gate.
- Tech Over Strength: We aren't talking about "hot-wiring" like in 90s movies. They use signal boosters and key fob cloners. They can mimic your car's "handshake" with the fob while you're still in the terminal buying a $14 sandwich.
The "Kia Boys" Legacy and New Threats
We can’t talk about Ohio vehicle crime without mentioning the Kia and Hyundai surge. While the "Kia Boys" TikTok trend started a few years ago, the fallout is still real. In 2024, the Hyundai Elantra and Sonata remained the most stolen cars in the country.
In Ohio, these models are still prime targets because they are easy to "turn." They aren't usually being shipped overseas or stripped for parts like the Trackhawks. They’re used for "joyrides" or as getaway cars for other crimes. If you’re parking a 2015-2021 Hyundai at a shuttle lot near the airport, you’re basically playing a high-stakes game of chance.
What the Authorities Are (and Aren't) Doing
Airport police departments—like the one at CMH which is separate from Columbus PD—are sitting on mountain-sized piles of footage. But identifying a guy in a hoodie and a surgical mask at 3:00 AM in a dimly lit garage is harder than it looks.
There’s also the "Jurisdiction Shuffle." If your car is stolen from an off-site hotel lot near the airport, like the Courtyard by Marriott or the Fairfield Inn, it's the city police’s problem, not the airport’s. Last year, over two dozen people woke up at Columbus-area hotels to find smashed windows. The suspects were reportedly driving a different stolen vehicle. It’s a cycle.
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Proactive Measures Being Taken:
- Increased Lighting: Cleveland Hopkins has worked on "brightening" the darker corners of the garages.
- Bait Cars: While not always publicized, law enforcement agencies occasionally use "bait" vehicles equipped with GPS and remote kill switches.
- ALPR Tech: Automated License Plate Readers are becoming more common at entry and exit points to flag stolen vehicles entering the property.
How to Actually Protect Your Car
Look, no one wants to hear "just take an Uber." Sometimes you live two hours from the airport and driving yourself is the only way. If you have to park, do more than just locking the doors.
Physical Deterrents Still Work
It sounds old school, but a steering wheel lock (The Club) is a massive psychological deterrent. A thief looking for a quick five-minute "in and out" will likely skip the car that requires a hacksaw.
Kill Switches and AirTags
Hide an AirTag (with the speaker removed) deep inside the car. Not in the glove box. Not under the floor mat. Hide it inside the seat upholstery or behind a plastic trim panel. If the car moves, you'll know before the police do. Better yet, install a hidden fuel pump kill switch. If the engine won't start, the car stays in the garage.
The "Faraday" Trick
Buy a Faraday pouch for your key fobs. It blocks the signal. Thieves use "relay" devices to pick up your key's signal from inside your pocket or luggage and beam it to the car. If the signal is blocked, the cloner fails.
The "Hidden" Risks of Off-Site Parking
Many travelers opt for off-site lots like Park-N-Go or local hotels to save $10 a day. Sometimes these are safer because they have more frequent shuttle traffic and "eyes on the ground." Other times, they are less secure because they lack the gated infrastructure of the main airport.
If you choose off-site, look for:
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- Fencing: Is it a chain-link fence a toddler could climb, or a high-security perimeter?
- Staffing: Is there a person in a booth 24/7, or is it an automated "arm" that stays up half the time?
- Valet Services: Sometimes valet is safer because your keys are in a locked box and the car is moved to a restricted area.
Actionable Steps Before Your Next Flight
Before you head to the airport, do a quick audit. Is your insurance up to date on "Comprehensive" coverage? That’s what covers theft. If you only have "Collision," and your car disappears from the garage, you’re on the hook for the balance of the loan.
Also, take a photo of your parking spot. It sounds silly, but people often report cars "stolen" when they actually just forgot they parked on Level 3 instead of Level 4. Eliminating "user error" helps police focus on actual crimes.
If your car is stolen, call the Airport Police first, then your insurance company. Don’t wait. The first 24 hours are the only window where you have a realistic shot—about 34%—of getting the car back in one piece.
Check your vehicle’s vulnerability. If you drive a Kia, Hyundai, or a high-end Jeep/Ram, consider using an alternative transportation method to the airport until security tech catches up to the thieves.
Install a secondary GPS tracker. Devices like LoJack or even a hidden, hardwired GPS tracker can bypass the factory-installed systems that professional thieves know how to disable in seconds.
Audit your interior. Never leave a spare key, a garage door opener, or documents with your home address in a car parked at the airport. A car thief now has a way to get into your house while you’re stuck in Florida.