auto theft News

How 9 Men Stole 45 Cars Over 6 Months During COVID, Then Got Caught

New York Attorney General Letitia James has announced the guilty pleas and sentencing of nine members of a Bronx car theft ring for their roles in the theft of 45 vehicles during a six-month period from April to October 2020. …

Range Rovers Become Thief-Magnets, Causing Insurance Premiums to Skyrocket

Tim Coen, a property investor, loved his Range Rover Sport but decided it was time to go green. He wanted to trade in the gas-guzzling sport utility vehicle for an electric Porsche. There was a snag, however. A string of …

Police in Massachusetts Town Move Quickly, Recover 16 Stolen Vehicles in 36 Hours

Auburn, Massachusetts police report they recovered 16 cars within 36 hours of them being stolen from a local auto rental business. Three Boston men have been charged with receiving a stolen motor vehicle and other charges. All of the vehicles …

Member of Crew Tied to 490 Catalytic Converter Thefts Pleads Guilty

A Springfield, Massachusetts man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston last week to his role in a regional organized theft crew that stole catalytic converters from over 490 vehicles. According to Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy, Santo Feliberty …

New York City Files Suit Against Hyundai, Kia Over Thefts

New York City has joined other municipalities in suing carmakers Hyundai and Kia for not having immobilizer anti-theft technology in some of their vehicles, which the municipalities claim has resulted in record car thefts and created a public nuisance around …

Police Departments Now Offering Steering-Wheel Locks for Vulnerable Kias, Hyundais

While dealers and manufacturers are dealing with the sharp rise in thefts of Kia and Hyundai automobiles, police departments around the South and Midwest have begun offering free steering-wheel locks for owners of the cars. In Raleigh-Durham and in Fuquay-Varina, …

Hyundai and Kia Thefts Keep Rising Despite Security Fix

Nearly three months ago, Hyundai and Kia unveiled software that was designed to thwart an epidemic of thefts of their vehicles, caused by a security flaw that was exposed on TikTok and other social media sites. So far, it hasn’t …

Insurers Leery of Hyundais and Kias Famous on Social Media for Being Easy to Steal

Social media influencers and an insurance industry think tank are giving Hyundai and Kia vehicles the worst kind of publicity: Many of the cars the company sold are easy to steal. In the past week, newspapers and television news producers …

Parents Sue Carmaker Over Crash of Stolen Kia That Killed 4

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A 16-year-old accused of driving a stolen SUV involved in a high-speed crash that killed four teenage passengers was arraigned Tuesday on manslaughter and other charges. The parents of two of those killed, meanwhile, have filed …

Thieves Key on Hack That Leaves Hyundai, Kia Cars Vulnerable

Some Hyundai and Kia cars and SUVs are missing a “key” anti-theft device, and thieves know. An insurance industry group says these cars are stolen at nearly twice the rate of the rest of the auto industry because their keys …