Viral Kia theft tips spark crime wave as car owner returns it to dealership
A frustrated car owner has returned his vehicle to the dealership after enduring years of vandalism and break-ins. Seattle resident Behrouz Alimorad revealed that his KIA was stolen on Monday, only for police to find it later with all windows smashed.
After owning the KIA for two years and dealing with four separate incidents costing thousands in repairs, Mr Alimorad decided enough was enough and returned the car to the dealership. He then embarked on a four-hour walk home, according to the Post.
Fox News Digital reached out to the dealership, but an employee stated they couldn't legally comment on the situation. KIA owners are frequently targeted by thieves, with law enforcement agencies offering advice on how to protect their vehicles.
In 2022, videos demonstrating how to steal KIAs and Hyundais using just a screwdriver and a USB cable went viral on social media. This led to a spate of thefts across the US, with the culprits being dubbed the 'Kia Boyz.' The surge in thefts has been described by police as a significant year-on-year increase.
Behrouz Alimorad decided to return his KIA (FOX13 Seattle)In May, Baltimore city joined a growing list of cities suing car manufacturers KIA and Hyundai for not doing enough to prevent their cars from being nicked.
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The car makers settled a whopping $200 million consumer class-action lawsuit due to the crime wave targeting their models. Yet, they're still facing legal battles from several cities including Baltimore, St. Louis, and San Diego.
New York City was one of the cities involved in the class action lawsuit. They claimed that the companies have caused a 'public nuisance' by releasing vehicles without an 'electronic immobilizer' feature.
"In electing profits over safety and deviating from industry norms by not including engine immobilizers as a standard safety feature, Defendants created and maintained a public nuisance," said the filing, made in the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York.
The city is pointing the finger at Kia and Hyundai for enabling the car thefts by refusing to recall the vehicles and install the necessary safety features.
Instead of recalling, the car makers offered free steering wheel locks to the individuals who have already bought these cars.
The NYC mayor's office has also started a programme giving out hundreds of free Apple tags to vehicle owners so that they can track their stolen cars when a crime does happen.
This issue has been a recurring one in most Kia and Hyundai models released over the last decade (from 2011 to 2021). However, a recent surge in crime, spurred on by viral TikToks, has led city governments to take legal action against the two companies.
New York officials have reported a shocking 977 car thefts in just the first four months of 2023. This is a massive increase of 660 percent compared to last year.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]
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