St. Cloud sees sudden spike in car thefts involving Kias and Hyundais
St. Cloud PD reported on Thursday that it has seen an increase in thefts and attempted thefts reported around the city, many of which involve Kias and Hyundais manufactured between the early 2010s and early 2020s.
Police say that until now, St. Cloud had mostly avoided the "trend" that saw these models targeted in other cities, which followed widespread exposure of an apparent security flaw that was shared widely on TikTok.
In a press release, St. Cloud PD confirms the vehicles are being "specifically targeted due to a widely known security issues that allows thieves to start vehicles without a key."
"The suspects in these cases are primarily juvenile males," the department continues, "and investigations indicate that the activity is widespread, affecting neighborhoods throughout the city."
"The purpose of these thefts appears to be joy riding as there is no evidence that the vehicles are being stolen for monetary gain," the release says.
Parents are being asked to keep an eye on their children and watch for signs that they may be involved.
The security flaws on certain Kia and Hyundai vehicles sparked nationwide lawsuits, with a civil investigation also launched by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who accused the car companies of violating the state's consumer protection and public nuisance laws by failing to equip anti-theft technology.
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