Miles Stanberry was unaware of the latest viral TikTok problem that enabled criminals to make use of a thumb drive to begin Kia and Hyundai vehicles till he grew to become a victim of the thefts.
Stanberry, owner of Moon Village Bakery in Skyway, says he relied on the 2020 Hyundai Venue to make deliveries. Margins are skinny, and the baker says he’d additionally use the automotive as a Lyft driver to make ends meet.
“For the primary time in my life, I felt like I used to be attending to the purpose the place I wasn’t struggling a lot,” mentioned Stanberry. “After which, I simply get sideswiped by this.”
In keeping with Tacoma police, on Feb. 19, thieves stole his automotive, took it for a joyride and crashed it right into a Tacoma dwelling.
Statistics from the Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration present that greater than 3.8 million Hyundai and 4.5 million Kia automobiles are eligible for a software program replace that might defend them from theft.
Stanberry mentioned he by no means received the memo. He believes producers must be held accountable.
“They constructed a automotive that’s extremely straightforward to steal,” mentioned Stanberry. “They need to be reimbursing individuals or serving to individuals get vehicles when this stuff have occurred.”
A GoFundMe account was set as much as assist Stanberry and his household after the loss.
In response to the rise in stolen automobiles, these Pierce County legislation enforcement companies at the moment are providing free steering wheel locks to homeowners of Kia and Hyundai:
Lakewood Police Division
Puyallup Police Division
Edgewood Police Division
Eatonville Police Division
College Place Police Division (out there starting Feb. 28)
Bonney Lake Police Division
Buckley Police Division
Fife Police Division
Fircrest Police Division
Steilacoom Police Division
Sumner Police Division
Federal Means Police Division
Auburn Police Division
Des Moines Police Division
SeaTac Police Division
Enumclaw Police Division
To obtain a free lock, homeowners should convey their registration and key to point out they personal a 2011 – 2021 key-start Hyundai or Kia.
