Thefts at Kia and Hyundai: Police data show that the number of stolen cars is declining

Hyundai and Kia car thefts in Baltimore County have declined slightly since a dramatic social media-driven uptick in 2023, according to new police data.

The province experienced 2,640 Hyundai and Kia thefts in 2023, an increase of more than 1,100% from 2022 and the years before that, according to data from the Baltimore County Police Department.

By However, January to September 2024 is the province There were 1,463 thefts at Hyundai and Kia, which equates to a rate of 21%. decrease compared to 1,841 thefts in the same period in 2023.

Nationally, thefts at Hyundai and Kia have skyrocketed since 2021, when a social media trend exposed security flaws in certain past car models.

These vehicles have turnkey ignitions that are not equipped with electronic immobilizers, a device that confirms that a key is the correct match to the vehicle. Thieves began posting videos online of themselves ripping open the steering column cover and clinging to it a USB cable into a rectangular port to start the engine and then take joyrides in the stolen cars.

The security exploit has affected nearly 4 million Hyundai vehicles, said Ira Gabriel, spokesperson for Hyundai Motor America. Kia representatives did not respond to a request for comment.

Data from the Baltimore County Police Department shows that car thefts in the region saw a bump in 2023, when they peaked at 4,143 cases. More than 63% of these cases came from thefts by Hyundai and Kia. So far this year, that figure has dropped to about 50%. Baltimore City has experienced a similar decline in car thefts among Hyundai and Kia models since 2023, according to an emailed statement from police.

The thefts have decreased slightly in part because manufacturers have started offering a software upgrade that addresses the security hole. According to national figures, the updates, implemented around February 2023, helped reduce theft of upgraded models by more than half compared to their non-upgraded counterparts. research from the Highway Loss Data Institute.

“The bottom line is that while theft rates remain high overall for these vehicles, the anti-theft software is helping to reduce theft of affected models,” said Joe Young, a spokesman for the institute.

Still, some Hyundai and Kia owners have not yet taken advantage of the software update, Young said. About 64% of Hyundai vehicles have the software upgrade, which amounts to more than 1.4 million vehicles, said Hyundai spokesman Gabriel. Kia previously claimed similar statistics.

“Outdated contact information can make it challenging to easily communicate the problem to some owners, while others may face logistical hurdles in completing the repair,” Young said. “Others may not feel the need to take advantage of this upgrade if they live in an area where car theft rates are low.”

Any affected Hyundai vehicles that cannot handle the software update may be eligible for free ignition cylinder protectors, Gabriel said.

Hyundai and Kia’s “inability to equip these vehicles with proper anti-theft technology” has strained police and other public resources, Police Chief Robert McCullough said at a public hearing last week.

Baltimore city and other jurisdictions filed lawsuits against the car manufacturers last year to recoup expenditure on these funds. Baltimore County is currently considering legal options, said Joy Lepola-Stewart, spokesperson for the county police department.

In October, a federal court granted law firm Hagens Berman final approval for one May 2023 settlement worth more than $200 million for a separate class action lawsuit against Hyundai and Kia.