Police warn of increase of theft of Kia, Hyundai vehicles

ST PETERSBURG, Fla. (WWSB) - Police in St. Petersburg are warning owners of late model Kia and Hyundais that they have seen an uptick in thefts of those aforementioned vehicles.

Since July 11, detectives say they have seen 56 cars stolen and 23 of them have been Kia/Hyundais models. That’s about 41%!

Investigators determined that car thieves are using a technique to break into the steering column to start the vehicles and steal them. The targeted vehicles are KIA and Hyundai models 2021 and older that use an inserted key instead of a push button ignition.

Remember to always lock your doors after leaving your vehicle.