ST. PAUL, Minn. (KFGO) – Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter have penned a joint letter to the North American CEOs of KIA and Hyundai in an effort to stem the rapidly rising tide of vehicle thefts in the Twin Cities.
The letter calls on the automakers to immediately recall and outfit all vehicles that are missing industry-standard anti-theft technology called engine immobilizers.
Ellison and the mayors say there has been a drastic increase in Kia and Hyundai auto thefts in the Twin Cities over the past year, including an 836% increase in Minneapolis and a 611% increase in Saint Paul. They say many of these thefts have been connected to other violent crimes, including five homicides.
The letter says these crimes are preventable and a timely and robust plan to address the issue by the automakers are critical for public safety.
