GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — West Michigan has seen a significant spike in car thefts involving Hyundai and Kia vehicles over the past several years. Representatives with Hyundai Motors America are in Grand Rapids to address the issue.
"Car thefts have been a growing concern in Grand Rapids since 2022," Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom said Friday.
In 2022, Hyundais and Kias accounted for more than half of all stolen vehicle reports in the City of Grand Rapids.
The thefts are often linked to social media trends, particularly on TikTok.
Statistics from the Highway Loss Data Institute are alarming: in 2023, Kia and Hyundai vehicles were stolen at a rate seven times higher than cars from any other manufacturer.
Hyundai will be hosting a free event in Grand Rapids Sunday through Tuesday.
Company representatives will be upgrading affected vehicles software and, if necessary, installing a metal ignition cylinder sleeve for anyone who owns a potentially vulnerable Hyundai vehicle.
David VandeLinde, vice president of Hyundai Motors America, spoke alongside Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom Friday morning about the free event.
"We saw a huge increase in thefts in the summer of 2021, driven by a social media challenge," VandeLinde acknowledges.
Hyundai estimates that roughly 3,100 vehicles within a 50-mile radius of Grand Rapids require the software update and security sleeve.
“The thief will remove what we call the clam shell, that's the upper and lower housing around the steering wheel column, the plastic pieces,” VandeLinde explained Friday.
“They pull those apart, and then they pry the ignition cylinder apart to access a slot that's at the back. They turn using a screwdriver, a USB cord, in order to start the vehicle.”
The free anti-theft event will take place at 555 Monroe Ave NW.
It will run from 12:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Sunday, and from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday.
Folks should expect the process to take about 20 to 30 minutes once they arrive on site.
This software update is only required for Hyundai vehicles manufactured between 2011 and 2021 that use a traditional turn key for ignition.
Chief Winstrom says he is hopeful that the event will be successful in eliminating the easy access to certain vehicles, and in turn, reduce the use of stolen vehicles in other crimes.
“We have seen a few shootings associated with stolen vehicle. So, there are other more serious crimes associated with that… it's just become such an easy tool to commit these other crimes,” he explained Friday.
“I was very fearful, even as we move into this summer, that this trend would continue and it would impact all of our crime statistics. So ,I’m glad that there are other people in the world that are taking steps to address it.”
You can find more information about the anti theft event happening in Grand Rapids at the event website HERE.
A list of affected vehicles, according to Hyundai:
- 2018-2022 Accent
- 2011-2022 Elantra
- 2013-2020 Elantra GT
- 2013-2014 Genesis Coupe
- 2018-2022 Kona
- 2020-2021 Palisade
- 2013-2022 Santa Fe
- 2013-2018 Santa Fe Sport
- 2019 Santa Fe XL
- 2011-2019 Sonata
- 2011-2022 Tucson
- 2012-2017 & 2019-2021 Veloster
- 2020-2021 Venue
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