It’s no secret that a spate of Kia and Hyundai thefts has overtaken many parts of the country after a reckless challenge on TikTok and other social media platforms exploiting a design flaw on certain vehicles from the Korean automakers. Under the hashtag “Kia Boyz”, users have shared videos teaching people how to steal certain 2010-2021 Kia and Hyundai models without immobilizer using just a screwdriver and a USB cable, then daring them to do the same.
Now, after a number of civil lawsuits against the two Korean automakers, it appears that the city of St. Louis is about to file one of its own. Throughout the year, car thefts in St. Louis have doubled, with the city reporting an average of 21 Kia and Hyundai thefts per day in June, and the number rising to 23 per day in August, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
St. Louis isn’t alone, as cities across the country, including Memphis, Cincinnati, Columbus and Grand Rapids, have all made public statements about spikes in Kia and Hyundai thefts. Milwaukee even called the automakers and said they were “directly responsible” for the increase in thefts. However, should St. Louis file a lawsuit against the brands, it would be the first city to do so.
According to a report from Fox Business, a recent letter sent to the Korean companies from St. Louis City Counselor Sheena Hamilton put the blame entirely on the automakers. “Kia and Hyundai’s defective vehicles have created a public safety crisis in the city, endangering the health, safety and peace of everyone who lives, works or visits the city… Your companies have a responsibility to protect the public reduce the nuisance that your negligence has caused to the city and its inhabitants.”
According to that same letter, dated Aug. 19, counsel Hamilton warned automakers that if they didn’t make “satisfactory progress in reducing public nuisances,” she would attempt to sue them. At the time of writing, we have not found any evidence that Hamilton has actually acted on that threat.
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, however, sees the solution as something quite different. “Apparently city leaders think it’s… the cars. Yes, automakers are to blame, not criminals,” he said in a tweet that ended with “you can’t make this up.”
Hyundai and Kia for their parts have worked with law enforcement agencies and municipalities across the country to reduce vulnerability for their customers. That included donating wheel lock instruments.
Now it offers an aftermarket immobilizer kit that can be installed at Hyundai and Kia dealers. It’s not free, of course, but it certainly makes theft significantly less likely.
