Police warn Kia and Hyundai drivers about an unusual spike in car thefts

SALT LAKE CITY – The Salt Lake City Police Department is investigating an unusually high number of car thefts and said that Hyundai and Kia owners in particular need to look out.

Sgt. Miles Southworth with SLCPD said the majority of cars taken in the recent car theft spike are Hyundais or Kias.

“There’s a number of different ways that people do it,” Southworth told KSL TV. “And actually, we’re seeing it in many cases, people are leaving keys inside the car.”

Some models of Kias and Hyundais have been known to be easy targets for theft these past few years.

Auto shop owner Scott Huntsman said a TikTok challenge that originated outside of Utah has made some Hyundai and Kia owners vulnerable. Certain models are missing auto theft prevention technology.

“They did not include an immobilizer, and anti-theft device which is an electronic code they usually get from a key,” Huntsman said. “They’ve discovered that they can use it, literally a USB. The end of the USB chord happens to just fit over the little mechanical part of things that just turn, turn and go.”

Video shows people even using screwdrivers to pry open parts of the cars.

“They (Hyundai and Kia) are installing anti-theft software,” Huntsman said.

If you own a Hyundai or Kia, Huntsman suggests taking your vehicle to someone who installs aftermarket systems.

“You can add these systems on so that if an alarm system were to trigger, or somebody were to break in the car, it’s just plain not going to function,” Huntsman told KSL TV.

Southworth said that police are following these social media trends, but said that having heightened awareness around your car will help.

“It’s very disruptive, it’s very violating,” Southworth said. “So, we would like to curb this and trying to catch the people that are doing it.”