Car thefts of two kinds of vehicles in Phoenix have skyrocketed due to a social media trend showing how easily they can be broken into.
The Phoenix Police Department released crime statistics showing violent crimes are slightly lower in the first half of the year compared to the same time in 2022. Property crimes are also down by 10% overall.
The department considers burglary, theft, arson and motor vehicle theft in the category of property crimes. All of those dropped except for stolen vehicles, up 4% on the year compared to the first half of last year.
Of the vehicles stolen, all measured model theft had fallen with the exception of Kia and Hyundai-brand vehicles.
“This increase is, in part, is believed to be associated with a social media trend involving the theft of Kia and Hyundai vehicles,” the report said. “Had the number of Kia and Hyundai thefts remained the same as 2022, overall auto thefts would have decreased by 24%.”
From Jan. 1 to July 31, Kia-model vehicles saw a 719% increase in the number of cars stolen. Hyundai owners saw a 412% spike in their cars being stolen.
The report considered the possibility that car thieves chose Kia and Hyundai makes over other vehicles, which would explain the drop in thefts for other makes and the increase in Kia and Hyundai makes.
