‘Will I be next? (OH)

[TowNews]

Stolen Kias, Hyundais flooding Cleveland impound lot 

 

The cars inside of the lot on Quigley Road reflect a crime trend impacting Northeast Ohio and the nation. The thefts of Kias and Hyundais are surging.

 

Jerry Grayson, an assistant supervisor at the impound lot, stood at the gate on Wednesday and watched on as vehicles were towed through.

 

“Just wait around for like 15 minutes; another one of them is sure to be towed, and it will probably have the back window and the steering column busted,” he said.

 

From Nov. 15, 2021, through Jan. 23, 2022, 2,493 vehicles were towed to the city’s impound lot. In that time, Cleveland police records show, there were 241 Hyundais and 233 Kias brought in.

 

A year later, in that same time frame, 2,910 vehicles were towed, and the number of Kias and Hyundais passing through the gate has more than doubled: 504 Hyundais and 798 Kias.

 

“Back in October, we were only having maybe 25 or 30 Kias or Hyundais,” Grayson said. “There has been a significant increase. Now, maybe we have 150 of each car.”

 

Carmen Bermudez hopes one of the vehicles is hers.

 

On Jan. 2, Bermudez and her 20-year-old son purchased a 2018 Kia Soul.

 

Less than two weeks later, on Jan. 13, he parked the car on the street outside of their home near West 80th and Lawn Avenue at about 6 p.m. Bermudez said her son woke up at 10 p.m. for work and looked out the window.

 

“The car was just gone,” she said. “Without a car, he wasn’t able to go to work and he didn’t have any money to do Uber and stuff. So, he ended up being fired from his job.”

 

According to Cuyahoga County prosecutors, 415 Kias and Hyundais were stolen in Cleveland in January. In December, 459 were taken out of Cleveland. The suburbs have also fallen victim to this trend.

 

Bermudez, a veteran on disability, said the theft is especially stressful because she needs a way to get to doctor appointments.

 

“It’s just terrible,” she said. “People need to understand that people work hard to get what they have. A lot of people struggle just to get a vehicle. It’s not right. I know it’s fun for them, but apparently, they’re not thinking about the people they’re affecting.”

 

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley said the responsibility to solve the problem does not fall on law enforcement, but rather the car manufacturers.

 

Vehicles without push-button ignitions and immobilizing anti-theft devices have faced ignition issues that many reports say allow thieves to steal the cars more easily.

 

“I don’t know how much money these manufacturers saved by not putting the correct technology in the car, but it is costing consumers a lot of money,” O’Malley said. “They need to fix the problem.”

 

Hyundai Motor America has made engine immobilizers standard on all vehicles produced as of November 2021, a spokesman said.

 

The manufacturer is also launching a software update scheduled to be available beginning in March and provided at no cost to customers. Further details about the update were not available.

 

Grayson said the crime trend is overwhelming, and he is concerned about the demands on law enforcement.

 

“The cars in the lot do not cost the city any extra, but this all takes away the manpower for having officers patrolling the streets,” he said. “Then they have to be sitting and waiting on a tow truck to come and get the cars.”

 

Cleveland police officers advised vehicle owners to take precautions.

 

“Thefts from motor vehicles are crimes of opportunity, and vehicles with valuables such as purses, computer bags, or even change left in the center console are often targeted,” Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said in a statement. “Owners of Kia or Hyundai vehicles are advised to contact the car manufacturer to purchase steering wheel locks to lessen the likelihood of theft.”

 

Grayson, who drives a Hyundai with a push-start, said he recommends purchasing a secondary alarm to cover the entire vehicle.

 

“At least if they break the window, they can’t take the car. I’d rather replace the window than to look for my car in the morning,” he said. “I am concerned. Will I be next? When are they going to figure out how to steal the push-starts next?”

 

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