Add the city of Memphis, Tennessee to the group of folks pissed off at Kia and Hyundai for the whole Kia Boyz car theft fiasco. The city is apparently considering filing a lawsuit against the Korean automakers over the cost of an “epidemic of vehicle thefts.” The lawsuit is part of a package of “extraordinary litigation” that a special attorney would be hired to handle if approved.
Memphis has seen a dramatic increase in car thefts in recent years, according to WREG News 3 Memphis. The most dramatic rise in thefts has been from… you guessed it: Kia and Hyundai. Memphis city police reported 22,000 vehicles stolen in just the past two years, and Hyundai and Kia led the list. The department and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office have actually pulled staff members to launch new units meant to quell auto thefts.
Here’s more from WREG:
“We do not take litigation lightly. However, the City of Memphis and its police officers have spent significant time responding to thefts of Kias and Hyundais, which is grossly disproportionate to other vehicle theft reports in our city,” a city spokesperson said. “Responding to these thefts has delayed officers from responding to other calls, increased costs to the city, and left many of our residents and visitors without vehicles. We also want a fair rental housing market where our residents can have safe, affordable housing without software influencing rent.”
[…]
They claim the manufacturers concealed and failed to remedy defects that made those cars easier to steal, leading Memphis Police to have to respond to a high volume of thefts of these makes.
Memphis isn’t the only city that has considered litigation against Hyundai and Kia. Earlier this year, the City of Newark said it joined a group of 19 other cities, including Chicago, Milwaukee and New York in suing Hyundai and Kia for intentionally failing to include engine immobilizers in vehicles built between 2011 and 2021.
“Kia and Hyundai are neglecting their responsibilities to their customers and our communities when they do not install this critical anti-theft technology,” [Newark] Mayor [Ras] Baraka said. “And because many of their models are perfect for low-income workers using their car to get to the job, this kind of neglect and indifference really adds insult to injury to those impacted by the loss of their cars and to other residents who experience a sense of lost security and safety. If Newark doesn’t defend itself against these huge corporations, no one will, so we are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with other cities that have had enough.”
I very much doubt that Memphis is going to be the last city to join this growing list of cities suing Hyundai and Kia over this issue. Listen, if you don’t want to get sued over your cars being easy to steal, don’t make their security so weak that idiots on TikTok make it a trend. It’s pretty simple if you ask me.
