GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Grand Rapids Police Department says there were 20 thefts and attempted thefts of Kias and Hyundais since Friday, May 5.
A Grand Rapids woman is scheduled to get her car back from the auto shop this week, nearly one month after it was stolen by the Kia Boys.
"It was a very violating feeling, I'm not gonna lie," Molly Bingham says.
She is one of nearly 1,000 people targeted by the Kia Boys in the last year in Grand Rapids.
"The rear passenger window was broken in and then they had broken the steering wheel column, and then jump started it from there," Bingham says.
Her 2020 Kia Sportage was stolen in mid-April, and it was found damaged in East Grand Rapids. A local resident there reached out to Bingham after finding her stuff.
"(The Kia Boys) had tossed a lot of my belongings from the car," she says.
Since the beginning of the year, there have been more than 200 thefts and attempted thefts of Kias and Hyundais, totaling out to 971 in the last year. At this time in 2022, there were just 16 incidents.
That quickly ramped up during the summer months, and that's why Bingham bought a boot for her car last year and tried to use it daily.
"I'm just gonna definitely be more careful and more adamant on putting that boot on, and just trying to make sure that my car isn't taken from me again," she says. "I do know people who have had their car stolen multiple times, too. So it's definitely one that's nerve racking."
One other preventative measure being offered is free steering wheel locks from the West Grand Neighborhood Organization.
"By locking the steering wheel, it prevents the car from being driven. So if owners choose to use this option, it also sends a like a big (message), like 'Oh man, now not only do I gotta break into the car, and try to get started, but now I got to deal with this too,'" Anette Vandenberg says.
The organization has given out dozens of these steering wheel locks, and they have more available.
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