(Credit: New Britain Police)
Abington Township Police are urging Kia and Hyundai owners to take extra precautions after a recent spike in thefts of certain models across Pennsylvania.
The warning comes as communities statewide — and nationwide — are once again seeing thieves target vehicles without an engine immobilizer, an electronic device that prevents the engine from starting without the correct key or key fob, police said.
According to Abington Township Deputy Chief of Police Ed Quinn, thieves are using this type of technology at an increased rate in recent months.
"Criminals are using like a digital pick pocket," Quinn said in an interview. "So when the criminals have this technology, they can steal that signal and basically the trick car system into thinking that the key fob is present in the car, unlocked and to be started."
As for stopping signal stealing, car owners are urged to put their key fobs in a faraday bag, which is designed to counteract this threat by providing a secure, signal-blocking enclosure for key fobs.
"If a citizen wants one, they can come into our Records Department and we'll give you one," Quinn said.
Many Kia and Hyundai models built before 2023 lack the feature, making them more vulnerable to theft, even when locked.
The trend first gained attention during a viral TikTok challenge in 2021, when videos showed how to hot-wire certain models using simple tools, police said. While automakers rolled out a free software upgrade in 2023 to prevent easy hot-wiring and unauthorized starts, police said many vehicles have yet to receive the fix.
Police offer prevention tips
Authorities recommend Kia and Hyundai owners take the following steps to protect their vehicles:
Kia and Hyundai have included engine immobilizers as standard equipment in all models produced after 2023.
Police said awareness and quick action remain the best defenses against the ongoing theft trend.
