Baltimore City leaders finding solutions to combat rapid rise in car thefts

BALTIMORE - Baltimore's mayor and top cop announced Monday an updated strategy to tackle the issue of auto thefts, as the number of these incidents continue to climb.

This announcement comes as the city has seen a nearly 230% increase in stolen cars compared to last year, according to Mayor Brandon Scott. Hyundai and Kia models make up over 68% of the vehicles stolen in Baltimore City. 

Scott says he's tasked members of his administration with ramping up existing efforts to combat car thefts, focusing on prevention, deterrence, enforcement, and continuing legal action against negligent manufacturers. 

With a gate and security cameras facing her parking spot, Baltimore resident Angelene Parker felt her car was safe.

But, that safety's been shattered. All that she sees now of her car is the broken class left behind in her parking spot.

It was just stolen sometime Sunday morning, but Parker's already been informed it's been used in a burglary in Baltimore County.

"I just couldn't get any sleep, I kept thinking about it," Parker said. "What's gonna happen with my car? Am I gonna get it back? Am I not gonna get it back?"

Parker's loss adding to Baltimore's tally, putting the city on track to pass 10,000 auto thefts this year.

Alongside Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley, Mayor Scott announced they'll be distributing more steering wheel locks to drivers.

The city is also looking to buy digital tracking tags, as well as more license plate reader technology to keep better track of stolen vehicles.

Mayor Scott said a lot of the same thieves are behind all of this.

"We have been arresting and re-arresting the same individuals who have repeatedly engaged in this behavior. To date, we've arrested over 692 individuals in connection to stolen autos, including more than 250 young people," he said.

As of Nov. 1, juvenile auto thefts are up 166% this year, according to Mayor Scott.

Worley said it's been an "all hands approach" trying to keep repeated and violent juvenile criminals in custody.

"We're working with [the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services] every single day to keep the individual in jail once we make the arrested. Our regional auto theft task force, FBI -- every federal, state and local agency is working to help us," Worley said.

Parker wants these changes to make a difference. She's still hoping her car comes home.

"People need their cars, [people] have to go to work, [others] may not be finished paying for their car -- and then your car is just gone. It's a big inconvenience," she said.

Sixty percent of stolen vehicles are recovered, according to Baltimore Police.

There will be a steering wheel lock giveaway on Saturday, Nov. 11, at Northwood Elementary School from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Another is happening on Nov. 15 at Hollinswoood Shopping Center from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

If you can't make either of these giveaways, they will be made available at all Baltimore Police precincts.

To get a steering wheel lock, you need to be a Baltimore city resident, present a valid ID, and own a Kia or Hyundai. 

"We're grappling with this as a part of a nationwide increase in cost that's driven largely by the death of certain Kia and Hyundai models and the proliferation of online videos demonstrating how to steal these vehicles with simply a USB," Scott said.

Baltimore City joined a lawsuit against Hyundai in May, blaming hundreds of car thefts in the city this year on the companies' alleged cost-cutting measures.

Police Commissioner Worley said the city will be working with the two manufacturers, in early 2024, to install anti-theft devices in vehicles to prevent theft. 

Baltimore City Councilman Eric Costello sent a letter to the mayor's office calling for more to be done to try to stop the thefts.

Costello asked for emergency funding to purchase steering wheel locks and tracking devices to help locate cars.

"It's significantly up," Costello said. "We're closing in on 10,000."

WJZ has been covering the disturbing trend of thefts for months now.

Just last week, WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren interviewed a car theft victim, whose luxury car was allegedly stolen by a hotel valet in Fells Point.

The thief then totaled the car.

"Is it just unbelievable? Never in my wildest dreams," victim Brian Eller said. "I even tipped the valet. The next thing you know, I'm waking up to it being gone. It was destroyed."

Experts say the rise is due in part to viral social media videos that show thieves how to hotwire certain models of Kias and Hyundais.

Costello told WJZ that Baltimore City ran out of steering wheel locks two months ago and that Kia and Hyundai are no longer sending them to the city because city leaders filed a lawsuit against the companies in May.

"We need to demonstrate that there is a sense of urgency around this issue," Costello said. "When a certain crime is up 229 percent year-over-year to date, significant action needs to be taken."