Kessler Park resident, Scott McKinney, thought he had mastered the art of lock, take and hide until thieves trashed his 2008 Tahoe in the driveway of his home Friday.
"As you see, there is glass all inside and glass all over the yard and driveway," said McKinney.
While the commercial banker is conscientious about bringing his valuables inside, he sorely underestimated the value of his Tahoe's third row seating. "I just couldn't imagine, at first, why the seats, and was a little dumbfounded."
Dallas Police said don’t be. The optional third row seats have a resale value that can top $1,500.
Backseat bandits target all of General Motor's large sport utility vehicles. The list includes the Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade.
While the thieves are small enough to crawl through the cargo window, to avoid triggering the alarm, they are also smart enough to know GM doesn't manufacture third row seats for sale.
Victims like Scott McKinney are forced to search for replacements on websites like Craig’s List and E-bay.
"In all of the U.S. there is only one ad for tan leather seats and it’s out of Dallas, that's why I think they are my seats," said McKinney.
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His seats or not, McKinney said he plans to cough up the $750 to purchase the seats so that his Tahoe does not lose resale value.
"That’s what makes me angry about all this, it’s kind of a never ending cycle," said McKinney.
Police suggest drivers who rarely use their third row seats, store them safely inside their homes or garages.
