Cleveland Wants to Sue Carmakers for Rash of Thefts

A TikTok challenge to steal Kias and Hyundais made between 2015-19 has resulted in hundreds of auto thefts around the country and led to 14 crashes and eight fatalities. Online instructional videos showed how to bypass security systems in these models, which apparently are well-known for lacking the electronic immobilizers employed in most other vehicles from that time period.

The national crisis forced Kia and Hyundai to offer updates to deter thefts. The updates include extending the length of the car alarm from 30 seconds to one minute and requiring a key in the ignition before the vehicle can be turned on.

The challenge has been particularly popular in the Cleveland area, where nearly 460 Kias and Hyndais were stolen in December 2020 alone. During a recent two-month period, those two car brands represented roughly 60% of auto thefts in Cuyahoga County, which includes Cleveland.

Teenagers are especially drawn to the challenge. Last month, a 14-year-old Cleveland boy was charged with multiple accounts of felonious assault after allegedly ramming a stolen Kia into someone while attempting to flee from police. Another 14-year-old boy was criminally charged after being accused of possessing more than two dozen stolen cars in the last two months. In yet another instance, two teenagers were arrested after crashing a stolen Kia into the bus of a local college swim team.

In response to the large number of cars stolen in the Cleveland area, Cleveland City Council has proposed suing Kia and Hyundai. Council is encouraging Mayor Justin Bibb to pursue a lawsuit. “It’s become laughable how easy it is to steal these cars. And at this point, I’d say it’s a manufacturer’s defect,” council member Kris Harsh said.

Cleveland would not be the first city to sue the automakers. Columbus and Seattle have already taken legal action. Seattle’s lawsuit claims that Kia and Hyundai knowingly neglected to install anti-theft devices in certain vehicles made between 2011 and 2021.

The lawsuits do not address the fact that auto thefts and carjackings have been on the rise in the United States for a few years. Between 2019 and 2022, car thefts in 30 major US cities rose by an average of 59%. Carjackings sharply increased during the pandemic. In 2020 alone, Americans lost $7.4 billion due to car thefts and carjackings.

It’s not just lax safety measures on Kias and Hyundais causing this spike, although that certainly adds to the problem. Clearly, if thieves want to take cars, they’ll figure out ways to do it.

Another crucial issue that must be confronted is the number of teenagers stealing automobiles. Law enforcement in Columbus are dealing with a growing number of teenage car thieves, many of whom end up crashing the vehicles they’ve stolen. Some of the teens are arrested and released shortly after, only to go back to stealing more cars. In one case in Columbus, a 14-year-old boy who had previously stolen other cars crashed a stolen Hyundai into a city garbage truck.

In some cases, the young thieves have been in trouble with the law for other reasons. Four teenagers in Cleveland were recently caught on camera stealing a Kia that they eventually rammed into a police car. One of the occupants of the car was 13 years old. Two of the suspects had existing criminal records that included aggravated robbery.

Filing lawsuits against car manufacturers will not solve the problem of young people committing serious crimes. Without being held accountable and given opportunities for rehabilitation, they often return to these nefarious activities. It’s likely the crimes will become more severe as the teens grow, increasing the chances of injury or death to victims and long-term incarceration for criminals.

Instead of, or at least in addition to, taking legal action against Kia and Hyundai, cities like Cleveland would do well to address the spike in car thefts, particularly among teenagers. A cohort consisting of law enforcement, teenagers, family members, educators and others in the community could shed much-needed light on the current situation.