Based on the Puget Sound Auto Theft Job Power, 39 vehicles have been stolen in Pierce County this Wednesday alone. Greater than half of those thefts have been Kia or Hyundai fashions.
Kia and Hyundai fashions made between 2011 and 2021 are notably weak as a result of thieves can bounce out of the steering column and use a easy USB cable to start out them as in the event that they have been utilizing a automotive key. is.
“Skilled thieves and minors alike have discovered how one can begin these autos with no key, because of a video circulating on social media,” the duty power mentioned in a press release. , bounce out of the steering column, begin the automotive with only a USB cable, and be gone in lower than a minute.”
The Puget Sound Auto Theft Job Power is asking Kia and Hyundai homeowners to get GPS trackers for his or her autos, steering wheel locks, or different anti-theft units.
“Lots of the stolen autos are recovered by our activity power or different regulation enforcement businesses, however are sometimes present in an inoperable situation, with in depth harm or drug contamination. We do not need this to occur to your car and we suggest that you simply take motion right this moment,” the duty power mentioned.
This week’s theft is a part of an ongoing concern. In November alone, Pierce County reported 862 auto thefts, whereas King County had 1,536 reported thefts. The Job Power notes that this quantities to a mean of 80 stolen autos in each counties every day.
Statewide, 41,330 autos have been stolen between January and November of this 12 months. It is a dramatic surge that started a number of years in the past, in response to the Job Power graph. Previous to that, automotive thefts have been typically lower than 30,000.