20 Kia and Hyundai vehicles stolen from Brooklyn Park, police warn drivers

St. Paul PD: Kia thefts up 1,300%, Hyundai thefts up nearly 600% in 2022

A deadly crash in St. Paul is shining a light on a growing problem both in the Metro and nationwide: the thefts of Kias and Hyundais.

(FOX 9) - Brooklyn Park police are warning drivers that the department is seeing the rising trend of thieves targeting Kia and Hyundai vehicles in their jurisdiction.

Throughout the past few weeks, the Brooklyn Park Police Department has reported approximately 20 vehicles from brands Kia and Hyundai that have been stolen across the city.

FOX 9 has reported about the spike in thefts of Kia and Hyundais in recent months due to an exploit that police say allows thieves to steal the vehicles with as little as a screwdriver or USB drive.

In July, the St. Paul Police Department reported that Kia thefts were up 1,300% and Hyundai thefts were up 584% in 2022. In early September, a St. Paul man who had his Kia stolen in August filed a federal class action lawsuit against Kia and Hyundai Motors over them being more susceptible to being stolen.

Brooklyn Park police continue to remind people that common crime prevention reminders include parking in a garage whenever possible, purchasing an anti-theft device such as a steering wheel lock, and not leaving vehicles running unattended.

An online crime map for Brooklyn Park can be found here.