JACKSONVILLE, Fla — He was sleeping in his home, unaware his car was being stolen out of his driveway.
This happened on the Westside of Jacksonville, and now, the owner is sharing his story because he says others with the same car as him might be at risk.
”We were home sleeping. There is a garage door opener in there. You know what I mean?" Bobby Walker said. "It’s kind of… you don’t expect for somebody to come in and say 'you know your car is gone'?”
Walker drives a 2020 Kia Soul. He says when police recovered his vehicle, the back window was smashed and the people who stole his car appeared to have started it by taking apart the steering column.
QUESTION: Is my car more likely to be stolen if I have a Kia?
ANSWER: Not on the First Coast, but other cities are seeing certain cars being targeted.
SOURCES:
- The National Insurance Crime Bureau
- Barton Legal out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- General Manager for Auto Basics in Jacksonville Scottie Manson
WHAT WE FOUND:
NCIB’s list of most frequently stolen cars in 2020 (the most recent data) did not include any Kias. The number one most stolen vehicle is a Ford full-sized pickup.
Out of Milwaukee, Barton Legal has put together a class action lawsuit against Kia and Hyundai stating a record number have been stolen in the city in 2021 mainly by a group of middle schoolers who call themselves the Kia Boyz.
They claim “design flaws pose significant safety risks and create a substantial financial burden for consumers.”
Kia did not respond to our request for comment.
We spoke with the general manager of Auto Basics Scottie Manson. He says older cars may be easier to steal, but he has not seen a specific pattern with certain makes of cars.
He says if a thief wants to break the back window to get into your car, it won't matter what type of car you have, they're going to do it.
So at this time, when you ask if your Kia is more at risk for being stolen, that is not what we are seeing on the First Coast.
However, in Milwaukee, police are giving out steering wheel locks to certain Kia owners.
“Old school!” said Walker. He got one for his car. He says it is only $30, and maybe it would have deterred the thieves.
Manson reminds you to lock your car and don’t leave anything valuable inside.
We’ve also requested data from Jacksonville Sheriff's Office to see if we are seeing any trends here. We will update you once we receive that data.