Thefts of Kia, Hyundai vehicles hit all-time high in Chicago, data show
CHICAGO (CBS) – One car, four police reports - CBS 2 reconnected with a Kia owner hit again and again in less than a year.
CBS 2 has dug into the numbers of Kia and Hyundai vehicle thefts across Chicago, and the latest numbers show thefts are at an all-time high. CBS 2's Tara Molina has tracked the theft issue from the beginning and had the latest details.
The theft numbers are the highest the city has seen. Jacqueline Jackson is living them.
Her Kia was targeted by thieves four times in less than a year.
While Jackson loves her Kia SUV, would she have bought it if she knew then what she knows now?
"Just plain out, don't get the Kia!" Jackson said.
She'd be behind the wheel of some other kind of car.
"I feel stuck," she said.
For over a year, CBS 2 has reported on targeted thefts of Kia and Hyundai vehicles due to security flaws.
Jackson's vehicle was stolen once, but she's dealt with three attempted thefts with major damage since, no matter what she's tried.
"They broke the club," she said. "They broke in the car."
It all happened in less than a year.
"It hurts," she said.
It's safe to say Jackson became friendly with her auto body shop.
"They was like, 'Not again!'" Jackson said. "And they was like, 'OK. We are bringing the tow truck. Where is it this time?'"
And while Jackson was thankful for her insurance coverage, as a four-time victim, she's still had to pay thousands of dollars.
"I had to borrow money to get it out," she said.
Through public records requests, CBS 2 obtained the latest available theft data from Chicago police and found Kia thefts were already up 15% from all of 2022.
There have been 5,341 Kias stolen so far in 2023. Last year, there were more than 4,000 Kia thefts. Before the spike due to security flaws, there were only 410 Kias stolen in 2021.
The Hyundai theft numbers were even higher, up 31% from all of 2022.
So far, in 2023, 6,171 Hyundais have been stolen in Chicago, up from 4,699 stolen last year. In 2021, there were only 588 Hyundais stolen in the city.
"I just want people who have Kias and Hyundais to just be careful out here because it really is dangerous," Jackson said.
Both Kia and Hyundai provided statements on the issue to CBS 2.
In a statement, a Kia spokesperson said:
"Kia continues to take comprehensive action to support our customers in response to this situation that has been created by criminals using methods of theft promoted and popularized on social media to steal or attempt to steal certain vehicle models.
We're continuing to strongly encourage eligible customers to have the software upgrade that we developed and rolled out earlier this year installed. The upgrade is designed to restrict the operation of the vehicle's ignition system should a potential criminal attempt to steal a locked vehicle without the key, and we remain confident that this upgrade further enhances the vehicle's security once it is installed. To date, more than 825,000 vehicles nationwide have received the upgrade and Kia continues to spread awareness about its availability by establishing a dedicated website with detailed information at https://ksupport.kiausa.com/ConsumerAffairs/SWLD, hosting off-site events in multiple cities – including two this past weekend in Milwaukee and Cincinnati – to make it easier for eligible customers to have the upgrade installed, and partnering with Carfax to inform owners that their vehicle is eligible for the upgrade.
We also continue to provide steering wheel locks to owners of impacted vehicles that are not eligible for the software upgrade at no cost to them. These free steering wheel locks further enhance the vehicle's security and can serve as a theft-deterrent for potential car thieves. Kia customers can obtain free, Kia-provided locks through their local law enforcement or they can request a steering wheel lock from Kia directly through the dedicated website. To date, we have distributed more than 280,000 locks and we will continue to provide them as they are needed. Earlier this year, we also announced an agreement that will allow customers who have been impacted by vehicle thefts to receive additional benefits and we're hopeful that the individuals who have been affected will soon be able to access these benefits.
As we have said from the outset, lawsuits filed by municipalities against Kia, like the one filed by the city of Chicago earlier this year, are without merit and should be dismissed. Like all Kia vehicles, the specific models at issue in this case are subject to and comply fully with the requirements outlined in applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, including FMVSS 114 that governs theft protection measures. Additionally, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has publicly stated that it has not determined that this issue constitutes either a safety defect or non-compliance requiring a recall under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
Kia is actively working cooperatively with law enforcement agencies in the city of Chicago and across the country to combat car theft and the role social media has played in encouraging it, and we remain committed to supporting our customers and to vehicle security."
In a statement, Hyundai said:
"Hyundai is taking comprehensive action to assist customers and communities affected by vehicle thefts promoted on social media. We are continuing our efforts to encourage customers to get the upgrade and recently launched a program of mobile service centers in multiple markets around the country to further scale and speed up the installation of the software upgrade.
In conjunction with the Chicago Police Department, Hyundai will host a multi-day free anti-theft software installation clinic in Chicago from Friday 11/3 through Sunday 11/5. The event will be held in White Sox parking lot G and open from 8:00a to 5:00p. The mobile clinic complements efforts by Hyundai's nationwide network of dealerships to drive further installations of Hyundai's free anti-theft software upgrade for customers who continue to be affected by the thefts. Specially trained mobile service technicians will be on-site to install and complete the software upgrade, which should take less than an hour.
We are also working closely with local law enforcement agencies and public officials to raise awareness of the software upgrade and provide steering wheel locks to affected customers. For more information, please visit www.hyundaiantitheft.com.
We are committed to ensuring the quality and integrity of our products, all of which are fully compliant with federal anti-theft requirements. Engine immobilizers are now standard on all Hyundai vehicles produced as of November 2021."
