St. Joseph police officers are warning drivers to take preventative measures against car theft, especially if they drive vehicles that are more susceptible due to a security flaw. From August 2023 up until last week, the St.
Joseph Police Department documented 246 reports of stolen vehicles in the city, with a majority of those thefts being associated with Kias and Hyundais. “There is a software defect for these vehicles, model year 2011 through 2021,” said Jeremy Peters with the St. Joseph Police Department.
“Which makes it somewhat easier to steal compared to other vehicles out there, and while that’s a crime itself, it’s an even bigger problem because those vehicles are often used in other crimes.” The problem is with engine immobilizer devices on models of these vehicles. Thieves are stealing these cars by opening the steering column and inserting a USB cable to start the car like a key.
Despite a long series of recalls to solve the issue, the defects on these cars still seem to remain a problem that some residents believe may never be resolved. “I owned a Hyundai and I think they’re good running cars, but they come with too many security problems,” said St. Joseph resident Don Briscoe.
“They’re getting broken into too easily and if the manufacturers can’t seem to fix this problem, they just need to take them both off the market. It’s not fair to everyone who owns them.” While manufacturers still search for ways to prevent them from being stolen, police are warning residents who own these models of cars to take extra precautions when it comes to securing their vehicles.
“A lot of times some of our stolen vehicles are vehicles that are left unlocked,” Peters said. “Keys are left in the vehicle, and sometimes, maybe even hidden but somebody found it by rummaging through the car. Please be mindful to avoid doing this.
Avoid leaving your car unlocked even if there’s no keys inside because we see with certain theft trends on social media, it’s not hard to drive off in them.” It’s also recommended to add aftermarket steering wheel locks to your vehicle or a GPS which can help law enforcement locate the vehicle quicker, Peters added..
