Eight Baltimore teens apprehended for Kia, Hyundai thefts in Anne Arundel County

BALTIMORE -- Communities across Maryland are seeing an alarming rise in car thefts.

Eight teenagers from Baltimore were apprehended for two incidents Tuesday in Anne Arundel County involving stolen Hyundais and Kias.

Michael, who asked us not to use his last name, showed WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren where a stolen Kia SUV smashed into his fence around midnight. 

He lives just over the Baltimore City line in the Anne Arundel County section of Brooklyn.

Police said five juveniles—a 14-year-old, two 13-year-olds and two more children younger than 13–stole a Hyundai Sonata and ditched it. They then stole the Kia SUV that crashed into his corner lot when it could not make the turn. 

"Children, children, children doing all this stuff. It's heartbreaking because it's so hard to keep up with and do anything about," Michael said. "It was midnight, and they're out there stealing vehicles en masse."

The Baltimore City police helicopter kept tabs on the teens and worked with Anne Arundel County police. 

"The guy was banging on the door, and I'm like what's going on here, and I see the flashlights outside," Michael recounted. "There was about half a dozen police vehicles out here."

Twelve hours earlier and just two blocks away on Thomas Avenue and Alley 13, three teenage girls tried to carjack a woman. 

The victim's boyfriend did not want to go on camera but told Hellgren she was taking her son to see the Barbie movie and several teenage girls in a stolen Kia were parked across the street. They quickly got out and grabbed her keys but did not know how to use the push button to start and fled. 

He said his girlfriend is ok but still shocked by what happened.

The suspects included two 14-year-old girls and one 15-year-old girl.

"As officers canvassed the area, they located the juveniles as they were described by the victim and a witness," said Corporal Chris Anderson of Anne Arundel County police.

Anne Arundel County has seen a more than 600 percent rise in Hyundai and Kia thefts—from 23 though June of last year to 170 this year. 

"It's is affecting everybody across the state, across the region, across the nation. We're not immune to it," Anderson said. 

Anne Arundel County police will again give out steering wheel locks at an event scheduled for August 24 near Arundel Mills. 

In Baltimore City, overall auto thefts are up more than 200% from 1,841 last year to 5,548 this year. 

Thefts of Hyundai and Kia cars using methods were popularized on social media.

The cars lack some of the basic auto theft prevention technology included in most other vehicles, which has led cities across the U.S., including Baltimore, to sue the manufacturers for a steep increase in car thefts.   

WJZ has done multiple stories on the problem. 

Back in Brooklyn, Michael hopes something will change. 

"If there are no consequences, there is no responsibility," he said. 

All police can do for juveniles under 13 is hand them over to a parent or guardian, which is what happened to two of the children who ran into his fence.