St. Louis sues Kia, Hyundai amid rise in car thefts

david MOSS

Late last February, Matt Shockley, father of Layla Shockley, sophomore, parked his Hyundai Sonata overnight at a hotel in Independence, Missouri. When he went to his car the next morning, there was someone in it.

“I banged on the driver’s side window, and he looked up at me and immediately took off,” Matt said.

Eight days later, the vehicle was found stripped of parts, ravaged by fire and utterly destroyed.

“Some cars are notoriously known for being able to steal,” Layla said.

Since July of last year, incidents such as this one have become increasingly common after a viral TikTok video published that highlights a weakness in the software and security system of most Kia and Hyundai cars.

Almost 7,500 vehicles have been stolen in the St. Louis area in 2022, near double the previous year, according to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

Late last month, the City of St. Louis joined five other cities in suing Kia and Hyundai for failing to install anti-theft technology in many models of their vehicles.

In a recent press conference, Mayor Tishaura Jones said, “Their failure to equip Kias and Hyundais with immobilizer technology has resulted in an increased expenditure of city resources, forcing St. Louis to devote significant manpower to documenting, investigating and recovering stolen Kia or Hyundai vehicles.”

Tracy Panus, county public information officer, said this rapid rise in car thefts began in April of last year.

Rise in St. Louis Car Thefts from 2022 to 2023

Safety Tips

1) Lock your doors and remove your keys from the vehicle.

2) Remove USB cables when not in use.

Panus said. “I think there’s also a lack of supervision. These kids are 13, 14, 15 years old out at 3 a.m., and no one knows where they are.”

Panus is looking forward to the software updates Kia and Hyundai are beginning to make available. Steering wheel locks have been distributed to police departments by the two companies, and Panus recommends those with affected vehicles get one if that option is available to them.

A total of 51 students have either a Hyundai or Kia out of approximately 540 registered students with parking spots.

Information from the Sophomore Office

“At the beginning of 2022, there was a very small percentage of Kias and Hyundais that were stolen,” Panus said. “Once the knowledge spread on how to steal these specific vehicles, we saw a big uptick.”

In St. Louis County, only 10 Kias and Hyundais were stolen in April of 2022. By that September, almost 300 Kias and Hyundais had been stolen.

Panus said at least half of auto thefts are committed by those who are 12-17 years old.

“Part of it is they’re being recruited by adults who know that juveniles are not going to face much punishment,”

“You really have to be careful,” Panus said.

Della Thompson, French teacher, has a Kia Soul, along with her daughter. In late February, her daughter’s car was broken into, and the perpetrator attempted to hotwire the vehicle.

“They ended up damaging it so badly it can’t be driven,” Thompson said. “And because so many of the cars have been broken into, there’s an eight to nine week delay on parts.”

Thompson said she and her family have always loved Kia but are now frustrated by the company’s poor decision and slow reaction.

“We feel like they could do better at helping us out,” Thompson said.

“Hopefully the recall will come out for my model soon, and I’ll be able to get it into the shop and have them put the new upgrade on it.”

James Nacy, orchestra teacher, had a Kia Optima that was broken into three separate times.

“The last two times it happened was 10 days apart,” Nacy said. “I was just fed up and bought a new car.”

Rather than feeling frustrated with Kia, Nacy said he is more upset that so many people are stealing vehicles in the first place.

“At this point, almost anything can be broken, hacked or whatever if somebody tries hard enough,” Nacy said. “To figure out how to do it and spread viral videos of how to do it, giving step by step instructions, that makes me disgusted with people more so than with Kia.”

3) Don’t leave valuables in your car.

4) Park in well-lit areas when possible.

5) Buy a wheel lock or anti-theft device.

Information from the D.C. Police Department and Allstate

This yellow device, called a club, prevents car theft by blocking the steering wheel from turning. Tracy Panus, county public information officer, said at least half of car thefts are committed by teenagers. “The main thing is to keep your car locked, your valuables out of sight, and your keys on you, not in the car,” Panus said. Photograph by Annabelle Miller