ATLANTA — Atlanta Police and Kia and Hyundai manufacturers are finding some solutions to help bring relief to owners in the metro area as they face the worries of getting their car stolen.
Zone 4 officers offered owners steering wheel locks to help with the car theft issues at a Friday event.
"Since we’re in a high crime area it’s actually good. It’s good for the community and it’s good for everybody," said Domennec Favors, an Atlanta resident.
Owners lined up at the 1 p.m. event that happened at the Greenbriar Mall parking lot.
"We’re actually getting something to secure our vehicle because there is a lot of theft going around," said Ricone Burns, an owner.
Both automakers also have settled a class action lawsuit for $200 million which would make them accountable for making vehicles police said are vulnerable to theft.
The lawsuit covers around 9 million cars made between 2011 and 2022. It will help with theft-related costs like higher insurance premiums and other losses.
APD recently warned residents of an uptick in car thefts that targeted those specific car brands.
Investigators believe that the rise in thefts might be caused by a recent trend seen on video-sharing platforms like TikTok. Some of the videos show a step-by-step guide on how to break into the cars.
Yaquanda Lucas was one of the first in line at Friday's event. She has seen the impact of the TikTok videos police have linked to a rise in car Hyundai and Kia thefts.
"I actually have two Kias. I got a Kia Optima and Kia Sol. I don’t think they should be showing those videos," said Lucas.
In a recent public safety meeting, auto thefts were said to be up by 755% compared to last year, with hundreds of thefts taking place since the start of the year, according to Deputy Chief Timothy D. Peek with the APD.
APD Captain Tommy Atzert said that the department responded to roughly 880 Kias and Hyundais thefts this year. He added that last year there were only 73 thefts they responded to.
"I have visited with several people, who have been victimized multiple times, it's really frustrating to see this," Zone 1 Commander Major R. Moorman said.
According to authorities, officers believe that the thefts are causing an increase in many residents' insurance rates. They said they are seeing the thefts at apartments, parking lots, streets and businesses.
These cars are usually stolen when the vehicles are left running.
"A lot of people are losing their cars they worked so hard to pay for," Burns said.
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