Third row car seats hot item

Hold on to your removable car seats.

Ventura County sheriff’s deputies are warning SUV owners that thefts of third row car seats are on the rise.

Senior Deputy Julie Novak said they are taking them day and night.

Novak said car owners should put their name and VIN numbers on the seats.

She also recommends locking them to the car, or storing them somewhere else when they are not being used.

New seats can cost thousands of dollars. Many of the stolen seats are showing up online for $700 and up.

Eric Weills, the owner of Tan LA on Daily Drive in Camarillo, said he realized the third row seats in his Cadillac Escalade were stolen when he arrived home from work.

Weills said his car was locked, but he thinks the criminals had the technology needed to get in the car.

Fortunately, a friend gave him a seat that wasn’t being used.

Crime prevention officers believe a gold minivan may be linked to the car seat thefts.

Anyone with information is urged to report it to their local police department.