Boys, 12 and 13, Accused of Stealing 11 Cars by Targeting Certain Kia and Hyundai Models

Two young boys accused of stealing nearly a dozen cars in Arizona knew exactly which vehicles they wanted to target.

According to a report from  published on September 10, police in Glendale, Arizona, said two boys, ages 12 and 13, were connected to the thefts of 11  and  vehicles in August.

According to police, they specifically targeted the Kia and Hyundai models that use a traditional key ignition instead of a push-button start.

Erik Seweingyawa, a master mechanic at Gemba Automotive in Phoenix, explained how thieves often steal these vehicles.

“They take the wires, make something makeshift, make sure a USB can plug into it,” Seweingyawa said.

Certain older Kia and Hyundai vehicles were sold without an electronic engine immobilizer, which is a device that’s designed to prevent a car from starting unless it recognizes the correct key.

Hyundai released a statement to Fox 10 and said they continue “to offer free anti-theft software upgrades for eligible vehicles at Hyundai dealerships” and that the installation process can be completed in less than 30 minutes.

“All Hyundai vehicles produced since November 2021 are equipped with an engine immobilizer as standard equipment,” the statement continued. “For certain earlier vehicles not equipped with engine immobilizers, Hyundai has taken comprehensive steps to help protect customers and address the method of theft popularized on social media. These efforts include the free anti-theft software upgrades mentioned above and ignition cylinder protectors.”

The company concluded by adding that they “will continue to take meaningful action to support our customers.”