Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha Calls On Kia, Hyundai To Prevent Car Thefts

CRANSTON, RI — Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha is one of nearly two dozen attorney generals across the United States to call on vehicle manufactures Kia and Hyundai to take action to prevent car thefts.

On Monday, Neronha joined attorney generals in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and across the country in signing a petition urging Kia and Hyundai to install the same anti-theft immobilizers that are standard in most other vehicles.

"Alarmingly high rates of theft of these vehicles have been sustained over a long period of time," the petition read. "Your consumers continue to be harmed as a result, and worse yet, the thefts contribute to an erosion of public safety as they are frequently accompanied by reckless driving and the commission of other crimes, further endangering our communities. While your companies are reported to have taken some steps to address this crisis, it hasn’t been enough, and it hasn’t been done fast enough."

Without the anti-theft devices, older model Hyundais and Kias that use a traditional key can be hot wired easily, making them simple to steal. The 23 attorney generals who signed the petition said stolen vehicles are often used in crimes, making it harder to find suspects.

The theft issue recently hit one Rhode Island city particularly hard. Cranston has seen an increase in car thefts in the Edgewood neighborhood, according to police. Specifically, Kia and Hyundai vehicles have been the target of the thefts, Cranston police said last week.

Police said there are numerous anti-theft systems and devices available that are designed to make vehicles more difficult to steal or easier to trace and recover. Here are how some of them work:

• Audible and Visible Devices: These devices, such as a horn alarm, deter theft by bringing attention to an unauthorized attempt to steal or enter a vehicle. Visible devices create a visual threat/warning/deterrence, such as the use of steering-wheel locks, as well as theft-deterrent decals, flashing lights, and window etching.
• Immobilizing-Type Devices: These prevent thieves from bypassing a vehicle’s ignition system and hot-wiring the vehicle. Some incorporate computer chips in ignition keys or disable the flow of electricity or fuel to the engine.
• Vehicle Recovery Systems: These devices use electronic transmission technology that help law enforcement reveal the location of stolen vehicles—and possibly catch the thief in the act.