Stolen Headlights/AP article

From the AP: (let's not dwell on their automotive ignorance....) MIAMI (AP) -- Police and local Porsche owners are getting increasingly frustrated with thieves who are adept and persistent at stealing the blue-tinted headlights from the expensive Italian sports cars to customize cheaper models. Police in the Miami suburb of Coral Gables have investigated more than 60 thefts in little more than a year -- and some owners have been hit three or four times. Officers have made six arrests, and Miami police have made two more. While regional figures were not available, Countach repair manager Abraham Echeverry said he gets up to 10 blinded Porsches a week at his Coral Gables shop. Bob Varela of Wellington, who has been in the Porsche business for more than 30 years, has heard about similar thefts "all over the country." "It is more prevalent in Dade, not as much in Broward and somewhat in Palm Beach, but it is everywhere," said Varela, president of the southeast U.S. chapter of the Porsche Owners Club. Two thefts in as many months has 1999 Porsche Carrera owner Scott Rhodenizer reconsidering his choice of transportation. "Now they know where I live," he said. "I'm going to have to turn my (car) lease in. It's no good for me to have that car." The headlights, called high-intensity discharge, or HID, are popular with car lovers who soup up less expensive cars such as Acuras and Hondas. The lights cost $1,400 or more when new, but the replacement and repair costs after a thief jimmies them out with a crowbar can reach $7,000. "The problem is, eventually, the way the insurance industry is, it turns into all of us paying more," Coral Gables police Sgt. Ed Hudak said. The lights are also standard features in other luxury cars, but repair-shop owners say the Porsche is the car of choice because they're easier to remove. Porsche's North American headquarters in Atlanta said it only recently began to hear about the problem. Porsche spokesman Bob Carlson said removing the lights would require breaking into the car and popping open the trunk, which is in the front. But Hudak said local thieves have found a way around that. "I don't want to kill Porsche sales, but the reality is all you need is a flathead screwdriver," Hudak said.

Whoever wrote that article must really know their cars--referring to Porsches as "expensive Italian sports cars."

This is a potential opportunity for the after market guys. Another alternative is to install headlight covers.

I've heard about this. Wonder when the trend is going to start moving west? Just in case though, I usually remove my headlights and take them with me!

You should see whats happening and whats been happening with Audi S4's in the north NJ area....BMW, MB, they're all getting hit.