Burlington police warn Kia, Hyundai theft trend is back

Burlington police are warning that the Kia Challenge is back in town, putting owners of certain Kia and Hyundai models on alert across Alamance County. The vehicles most at risk are 2011 through 2022 models with traditional key ignitions, including the Kia Sportage, Forte, Soul, Rio and Sedona, plus the Hyundai Elantra, Sonata, Tucson and Santa Fe.

Police said the theft pattern is resurfacing locally, and officers want drivers to treat it as a felony crime, not a prank. A stolen car can leave a family without transportation, add repair bills, and trigger the stress of police reports and insurance claims, all before a victim gets a vehicle back.

The warning comes with a manufacturer fix, but not every vehicle qualifies. Hyundai says its free anti-theft software upgrade began rolling out in phases on February 14, 2023, after Hyundai and Kia launched a service campaign to deter theft nationwide. Hyundai says vehicles with push-button start, or vehicles built after November 2021, already have an engine immobilizer and are not affected. Its settlement notice identified certain 2011 through 2022 model-year vehicles without immobilizers as class vehicles, and notice of the settlement began going out by mail and email on February 12, 2024.

The national push followed a wave of social-media-driven thefts that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration linked to at least 14 reported crashes and eight fatalities. NHTSA also said Hyundai and Kia had provided more than 26,000 steering wheel locks to 77 law-enforcement agencies in 12 states since November 2022.

Burlington has seen the fallout before. On February 26, 2024, the Burlington Police Department said it served 33 juvenile petitions tied to 27 motor vehicle breaking-and-entering cases and six stolen motor vehicles. Police said one suspect in that case was a 17-year-old male in custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice. The department says it has more than 100 sworn officers and about 50 professional staff members.

Police are urging drivers to check whether their vehicle qualifies for free anti-theft hardware, use a steering wheel lock if available, park in well-lit areas, install an immobilizer or alarm system, keep software up to date, consider a GPS tracking device and keep valuables out of sight. Non-emergency reports can be filed through the city’s online reporting system, and anonymous tips can go through Alamance County-Wide Crimestoppers.