Latest social media craze: Stealing Kias & Hyundais
The automakers are a facing class action suit alleging the cars are defective because they are so easily stolen.
Perhaps the spirit of Neal Cassady, that Beat hero, runs though today’s younger generations as stealing automobiles is the latest craze taking TikTok, YouTube and other social media sites, according to police departments across the nation, which are reporting thefts of Kia and Hyundai cars are spiking.
More specifically, Kia models newer than 2011 and Hyundai cars newer than 2015 are being targeted as a design flaw, particularly the lack of engine immobilizers, allows them to be started and operated without a key, according to a report from “USA Today.”
From July 11 to July 27, 2022, 23 of the 56 stolen vehicles in St. Petersburgh, Fla. were either a Kia or Hyundai, according to the St. Petersburgh Police Department, which noted these two makes accounted for approximately 41% of stolen cars during that period.
Ashley Limardo, a public information specialist with the St. Pete police, tells PropertyCasualty360.com that many of the suspects and those arrested for these crimes have been juveniles. Many of the vehicles are recovered, although worse for wear.
In Norfolk, Va., police have seen a 35% increase in thefts involving these vehicles. St. Louis has seen a 400% increase and in St. Paul, Minn., there have been more than 460 stolen Kias and Hyundais this year compared with 63 during the same period last year, according to local news reports.
Easy to steal vehicles are unsafe, suit alleges
The automakers are now facing a class action suit alleging they failed to disclose a material defect in their vehicles that causes the cars to be “incredibly easy” to steal, in turn, making them unsafe. According to the complaint, “all a thief needs to do is strip the ignition column, exposing a piece that pops off, and then stick a USB drive, a knife or some other similar tool to start the vehicle without a key or code.” Once the vehicle is running, a thief can easily drive the car away.
“Considering how many people charge their cell phones in their cars, the necessary instrument needed to steal a Defective Vehicle is usually readily available to any thief,” the complaint stated.
Additionally, the class action suit alleges that windows on some of the defective vehicles are not connected to the security system, further making the cars susceptible to theft.
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