Burlington police warn of surge in Kia Challenge thefts

Burlington police are warning drivers across Alamance County and the Piedmont Triad about a renewed spike in Kia and Hyundai thefts tied to the Kia Challenge. The vehicles most at risk are older models with traditional key ignitions, often model years 2011 through 2022, and officers say the theft trend has resurfaced in Burlington just as summer travel and parking lot exposure increase.

The models officers singled out include the Kia Sportage, Forte, Soul, Rio and Sedona, along with the Hyundai Elantra, Sonata, Tucson and Santa Fe. Police are pushing owners to use anti-theft hardware, steering-wheel locks, immobilizers and alarms, and to park in well-lit places. They are also telling drivers to lock their doors, keep vehicle software up to date and consider a GPS tracker. Local dealerships are offering free security upgrades for eligible vehicles, and owners can check their vehicle identification number and make an appointment if their model qualifies.

The warning reaches far beyond one city street. Burlington police said the pattern is showing up across the Piedmont Triad, putting cars at risk in neighborhoods, school parking lots, apartment complexes, shopping centers and driveways from Burlington to Graham, Mebane, Elon and Haw River. The reminder carries a public-safety edge as well: officers are urging people not to leave guns inside vehicles, since a theft can quickly become a weapons theft too. Car theft is a felony, adding legal stakes for younger offenders drawn in by a social-media trend.

The broader accountability question is whether police warnings and automaker fixes are keeping pace with the thefts. North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson announced a $9 million multistate settlement with Hyundai and Kia in late 2025 after the companies failed to include standard anti-theft technology in many vehicles. The settlement includes free zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protectors for eligible owners or lessees, including some who already received a free software update. State officials said thieves were able to bypass that earlier update, which is why added hardware is still needed.

That gap helps explain why the problem has stayed alive into 2026. A North Carolina report cited a 10-fold jump in Kia and Hyundai thefts from 2020 to 2023, and Burlington’s latest warning shows the wave is still moving through local parking lots and neighborhoods.