\n<\/p>\n
A coalition of elected leaders from across the country is attributing the recent surge in vehicle thefts to car manufacturers Kia and Hyundai, renewing calls for a federal recall. Seattle City Council member Tammy Morales (D) joined a virtual press conference with other members of the Councilmembers Against Car Thefts coalition, urging the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to recall the automobile manufacturers\u2019 2011-2021 models, as per KIRO-TV.<\/p>\n
Morales cited Seattle police statistics, revealing that Kia thefts surged by 363% from 2021 to 2022, and Hyundai thefts by 503%. \u201cThe resolution and the lawsuit are really about corporate responsibility, corporate accountability for not just the theft but for the extravagant resources cities across the country have spent,\u201d Morales stated, emphasizing concerns about youth involvement in car thefts.<\/p>\n
Philadelphia City Council member Kendra Brooks, the first Working Families Party member elected to the Philadelphia City Council, also backed the coalition, noting that Kia and Hyundai vehicles accounted for over 60% of car thefts in Philadelphia. \u201cWorking families should not be the ones bearing the burden for mistakes made by manufacturers of these cars,\u201d Brooks remarked.<\/p>\n
Baltimore City Council member Zeke Cohen remarked that their group represents cities \u201cthat are among the hardest hit by Kia and Hyundai thefts.\u201d Cohen criticized the manufacturers for not installing industry-standard theft-prevention technology, burdening local law enforcement. \u201cCleaning up this mess cannot be left to city governments alone. We need federal oversight to solve the national nightmare created by these manufacturers,\u201d Cohen stated.<\/p>\n
New York City Council member Tiffany Cab\u00e1n (D) criticized the auto manufacturers for producing \u201csub-standard merchandise\u201d despite earning \u201ctens of billions in profits every year.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a joint statement, Minneapolis Council president Elliot Payne and councilmember Jeremiah Ellison highlighted the \u201cdrastic increase\u201d in car thefts, emphasizing the need for companies like Kia and Hyundai to uphold the highest standards of due diligence and protection.<\/p>\n
In April, California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) urged <\/a>the NHTSA to issue a recall, arguing that the vehicles pose \u201can unreasonable risk to public safety.\u201d Seventeen other state attorneys general from across the country also supported Bonta\u2019s letter.<\/p>\n Multiple cities are currently suing the car manufacturers, alleging that they \u201cfail[ed] to equip their vehicles with industry-standard vehicle immobilization technology,\u201d as reported <\/a>by Blaze News.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n