St. Louis experienced more than 1,200 Hyundais 2015-2021 and Kias 2011-2021 stolen in July and Aug. 2022 alone according to the St. Louis Police Department.
“We’re looking at ways to hold big corporations accountable for a design issue that has led to a nearly 1,000% spike in car thefts and turned breaking the law into a viral social media challenge,” St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones said.
Jones said automakers must recall affected vehicles and install the immobilizing technology to avoid a lawsuit.
“The city demands Kia and Hyundai mitigate the defective conditions providing thieves – including teenagers as young as 13 – the instrumentalities by which they are destroying property, endangering city drivers and themselves,” St. Louis City Counselor Sheena Hamilton said.
Hyundai and Kia have until Sep. 19 to take action in reducing the targeted car jackings, city of St. Louis City Counselor Sheena Hamilton said.
“I hope to get some damages, and everyone else who’s suffering because it is not ethical,” said Khadijah Amirah, a car theft victim. Amirah is a 33-year-old single mother with two children who works as a makeup artist and esthetician.
Since May 2020, Amirah has worked on location, and heavily depends on her vehicle. She said her 2015 Kia Soul was stolen either Aug. 11 or 12 from her Benton Park residence. She described looking for her car outside on Aug. 13 and not being able to find it.
The next day, city towing told Amirah that the Kia was totaled by two teenagers on Wyoming Street, who fled the scene.
Amirah said she would have gotten a car club had she known about the steep uptick in carjackings. She also said she was frustrated with the city government, and the police did not send a warning notification about the uptick in thefts and solutions.
“It feels like torture especially to communities where I live,” Amirah said. “I consider myself a working class person; I have two children, [I’m] a divorcee and a small business owner.”
For Amirah to work on her clients, she had to uber around for the first two weeks before being able to borrow vehicles from close relatives regularly.
Amirah said the Kia was the first car she purchased through financing in April 2021.
“I’ve worked really hard,” Amirah said. “I had a lot of pride in the car.”
Hyundai Motor America sent 100 steering wheel locks to the SLPD and a local Kia dealership donated 50.
“The city demands Kia and Hyundai mitigate the defective conditions providing thieves – including teenagers as young as 13 – the instrumentalities by which they are destroying property, endangering city drivers and themselves,” Hamilton said.
Through viral videos onYouTube and TikTok, teenagers have learned how to start non-push-button ignitions with a USB Cord or phone chargers as keys. Teenagers have figured out how to start non-push-button ignitions with a USB Cord or phone chargers as keys, after ripping the columns off.Also back windows on many Hyundais and Kias are not connected to the car’s security system, avoiding the alarm trigger.
Hyundai announced its intent to offer an aftermarket Firstech/Compustar security kit in Oct., which disables the starter, prices ranging from $75 to $150 each.
“I have had great support even from my son’s school, Cardinal Ritter prep.” Amirah said. “They understood the issues about me getting my son’s fees paid. Because they knew the theft was a hardship for our family, they even checked up on us to see how we were doing.”
Amirah said the song she listens to daily and brings her peace when she feels anxious is “Jireh” by Maverick City.
Dasha Lyn, 30, owner of Soi STL, a newly-opened Black-owned day spa, had her 2019 Kia Optima stolen on Pershing Ave. on July 11 at her job in Central West End. She stepped out of the salon to get something from her vehicle and saw her Blue Kia making a U-turn.
When a neighboring business gave her its security footage, she said it took the thieves around three minutes to break the back window, start the car, and leave.
The following day, SLPD called her and told her the car was wrecked and abandoned.
Her insurance covered a rental car for 10 days, now she is depending on public transit and Lyfts.
Lyn said she was in the process of purchasing a home before her car was stolen, but had to put that all on hold.
“Now it’s just like getting rides, public transportation, and Lyft, which is expensive, but I have a business to run. I must wake up two hours earlier to ensure everything is situated.”
She said she spends twice as much on necessities related to not having a vehicle. She said work transportation through Lyft alone is $150 a week on average.
Lyn said, “At the salon, hearing stories about car thefts feels commonplace.”
“Daily, we’ll have five people saying somebody stole my Kia, or Hyundai and having issues with SLPD’s with response time.”
Amirah said she is working seven days a week due to the circumstances.
“I feel I just keep getting hit, and it hurts, but I’m very present with my mental health,” Amirah said. “I’ve suffered from anxiety. So, I have been fighting through that, building my courage to keep going.”
AAA recommends parking in a well-lit area; and removing any spare keys and valuables.
“I was upset because I’m like, why can’t I get ahead? and why am I going so uphill?” Amirah asked. “My faith has been what has kept me from losing it. And so definitely lots of meditation, prayer and reflection.”
Pierre Benoist, Commander of the Fourth District said the St. Louis Police Department is looking into a ‘give away’ of vehicle anti-theft equipment.
To learn more about vehicle anti-theft services click here.
