Chicago vehicle thefts dropping; thieves targeting Kia and Hyundai vehicles less often, new CBS 2 analysis shows
CHICAGO (CBS) – Chicago's car theft crisis appears to be declining after reaching a two-decade high of 31,139 stolen or attempted stolen in 2023.
The social media-fueled surge
Chicago Police Department data, obtained and analyzed by CBS 2, show October 2022 as the month with the most thefts. Thieves targeted 3,401 vehicles during those 31 days.
Kia and Hyundai vehicles made up the majority of cars stolen that month. A total of 2,131, or 63%, were taken, in part due to a social media craze exposing a vulnerability that made them easier to nab. The CBS 2 Investigators reported in depth on the surge and the TikTok videos that fueled the spike.
Kias and Hyundais made up an even larger percentage, 65%, of all thefts the following month, November 2022 – even though 93 fewer were stolen.
The promising pattern
The new CBS 2 analysis reveals a promising pattern more recently in both overall vehicle thefts, particularly with Kias and Hyundais by the end of 2023 going into the first two weeks of 2024.
Monthly theft numbers from October through November show year-over-year decreases ranging from 19% to 22% for all vehicles.
The drop is even more pronounced among Kias and Hyundais during the same period. Monthly decreases year over year range from 33% to 42%.
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart expected to see a drop.
"But as I like to caution people – they were so bad, they really only could go down," Dart said. "I mean, theoretically, I guess could go up – but no, not really."
Compared to October 2022, December 2023 auto theft numbers are 31% lower for all vehicles, and 46% lower for Kias and Hyundais specifically. Still, more than 2,400 thefts or attempted thefts happened between Dec. 1 and Jan. 16, including more than 1,500 Kias and Hyundais.
One belongs to a Kia owner who didn't want us to use his name.
"Was hit first in December, and then comes around the beginning of January," he said. "They hit me twice then."
The would-be thieves busted his window and tried to get into the steering column to hotwire the vehicle.
He was a little bit lucky because thieves didn't take his car, he says, because he had received the upgrades offered by Kia.
But he's still feeling the pain from the theft that didn't happen.
"They'll still try to break in it because they don't know no better," he said. "They still do damage. Big money."
The repairs totaled $3,600 for the man living on a fixed income.
Fed up, he traded in his old Kia for a new one with a push-button start – which is not a model targeted by thieves.
What's working?
Besides hardware and software updates from Kia and Hyundai, what else is behind the falling auto theft figures?
"Ourselves, the FBI, the Chicago Police Department – collectively, we're doing some things right," said Sheriff Dart.
One change Cook County made over the last year was implementing the CCSO Tracked Vehicle Partnership program along with vehicle makers. It helped people prevent theft or get their vehicle back faster if it is stolen.
"We'll give you the form, go online, and we'll give you a sticker to put on your car that'll help deter as well – and they'll know we can track this thing right away," said Sheriff Dart.
Sheriff Dart added that carmakers have been more helpful recently in providing critical information to law enforcement when a car is stolen, ahead of a new law passed last year in Illinois.
"The new law went on the book Jan. 1, which required them [car manufacturers] to be tracking and tracking in a certain way and responding in a certain way," Dart said.
Sheriff Dart also credits the effort made by law enforcement to get precise data about when, where, and how auto theft crimes were happening for some of the lower numbers.
He says that new tools are on the horizon to help the Cook County Sheriff's and Chicago Police.
"Helicopters," Dart said. "We're getting one. Chicago Police are getting two. They are literally game changers."
Sheriff Dart explained that those new helicopters could help improve longstanding low recovery rates, lead to more arrests, and potentially even help with prosecutions.
"Without helicopters, you're left with license plate readers. But they have very obvious limitations," Dart said. "Once the car leaves an area and [goes to an area] where there aren't any, we lose them."
He expects all of the helicopters to arrive before the end of 2024.
"Our hope is we will keep driving this down," Dart said. "But we have a ways to go still."
In the meantime, that downward trend appears to have continued for, at least, the first two weeks of January 2024. A total of 972 cars were stolen, of which 413 – or 45% – were Kias and Hyundais. That compares to 1,657 vehicles – including 1,002 Kias and Hyundais – stolen the first two the year before.
"We have a solid plan. It's being executed," said Sheriff Dart. "The numbers show that we have more than a week of good numbers. The trajectory should continue to be going down."
Hyundai Senior Group Manager for Corporate and Marketing PR Ira Gabriel sent an anti-theft clinic summary video and this statement late Friday:
"We are currently working with more than 1,000 law enforcement agencies across the country to provide no-cost steering wheel locks to their departments.
"Our dealers across the country are maximizing the number of anti-theft software and ignition cylinder protector installations that can be performed daily, contributing to steadily increasing completion rates. Hyundai has also launched multi-day mobile pop-up software installation clinics in Washington, D.C., St. Louis, New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, El Paso, Los Angeles, New York, and Baltimore, with plans to replicate in additional markets to further scale and speed installation of these anti-theft protections. As of February 14, Hyundai has provided no-cost anti-theft solutions to more than 1.17 million affected vehicles. We have also created a dedicated website (www.hyundaiantitheft.com) to support customers with information and resources.
"Hyundai is committed to the comprehensive actions we are undertaking to assist customers and communities affected by the persistent thefts of certain Model Year 2011-2022 vehicles not equipped with push-button ignitions and engine immobilizers. Hyundai has responded with wide-ranging initiatives to enhance the security of vehicles without engine immobilizers still on the road. Chief among these measures is the development and validation of a no-cost software upgrade for the owners of these vehicles to prevent the theft mode popularized on social media. For eligible vehicles that cannot accommodate the software upgrade, we are now installing ignition cylinder protectors at no cost to our customers."
On Monday, Feb. 19, Kia released this statement:
"Kia is committed to working with law enforcement officials in Chicago and across the country as part of our efforts to prevent criminals from using methods of theft popularized on social media to break the law and steal or attempt to steal certain vehicle models.
"It's important to note that all Kia models manufactured since late 2021 are equipped with engine immobilizers. For vehicles manufactured prior to that date, we're continuing to strongly encourage eligible customers to receive the software upgrade that we developed and rolled out last year that is designed to restrict the operation of the vehicle's ignition system should a potential criminal attempt to steal a locked vehicle without the key. To date, more than 1.01 million Kia vehicles nationwide have received the upgrade and we continue to spread awareness about its availability by establishing a dedicated website with detailed information, hosting off-site events in multiple cities to make it easier for eligible customers to receive the upgrade, and partnering with Carfax to inform owners that their vehicle is eligible for the upgrade.
"We also continue to provide steering wheel locks to owners of impacted vehicles that are not eligible for the software upgrade at no cost to them. These free steering wheel locks further enhance a vehicle's security and can serve as a theft-deterrent for potential car thieves. Kia customers can obtain free, Kia-provided locks through their local law enforcement or they can request a steering wheel lock from Kia directly through the dedicated website. To date, we have distributed more than 319,000 locks and we will continue to provide them as they are needed. We also recently developed and introduced a new hardware modification that is designed for the vehicles that are not eligible for the software upgrade that works to combat theft by reinforcing the ignition cylinder body and preventing its removal through the method of theft promoted in videos that have spread across social media encouraging criminal activity.
"As we have said previously, lawsuits filed by municipalities against Kia are without merit and should be dismissed. Like all Kia vehicles, the specific models at issue in this case are subject to and comply fully with the requirements outlined in applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, including FMVSS 114 that governs theft protection measures. Additionally, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has publicly stated that it has not determined at this time that this issue constitutes either a safety defect or non-compliance requiring a recall under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
"Kia will continue to work with law enforcement agencies in Chicago and local officials across the country to combat car theft and the role social media has played in encouraging it, and we remain fully committed to supporting our customers."