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A Kia vehicle waits at a stoplight.
Credit: Nick Kimmel | Unsplash
Car thieves are having a field day with Kias and Hyundais. At least ten of them have been stolen from Cleveland State University parking lots in the past three months.

At least 10 cars stolen from CSU parking lots in the past three months

The recent car thefts at CSU highlight a national problem involving Kia or Hyundai models which lack a basic security feature.
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10 cars have been stolen out of parking lots on Cleveland State University’s campus in the past three months according to CSU police. All of the cars have been either Kia or Hyundai models. There were six additional attempted thefts as well. The number 10 is what police know about.

The instances of car-jacking on campus are just a few of thousands of similar cases across the United States, including in this region.

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley told Cleveland.com that the number of insured Kias and Hyandais stolen in the county from October to December last year jumped 233% to 656 cars. As a result of the epidemic of theft, some major insurers have stopped writing car insurance policies for certain Kia and Hyundai models.

The models in question are popular targets as many of the Kias and Hyandais made from 2015-2019 were designed without electronic immobilizers. The immobilizers, which are standard equipment on most cars made in recent decades, prevent the ignition from being started without the correct key.

Videos on social media have shown that if intruders can access a car without an electronic immobilizer, they can start it with something as simple as a USB cord.

The CSU police department is partnering with Hospitality and Campus Services and Parking and Transportation Services to provide free anti-theft car clubs to students who own a Kia or Hyundai vehicle built between 2011 and 2021. One-hundred anti-theft car clubs have been distributed by the departments so far and will be available as long as supplies last.

CSU police also encourage anyone who parks on campus lots to follow general safety practices: don’t leave vehicles unlocked, don’t leave keys in the vehicle, don’t leave personal items like charging cords or wallets in plain sight and park in well-lit areas.

If someone suspects their vehicle may have been stolen, they should contact CSU police at their non-emergency phone number 216-687-2020 or Cleveland city police at their non-emergency phone number 216-621-1234.