MCKEES ROCKS, Pa — The McKees Rocks Police Department reminds residents to take steps to protect Kia and Hyundai vehicles from theft.
On Facebook, the department urges anyone who owns a car from either of these brands to use a steering wheel lock. They say this will deter potential thieves looking to take advantage of the vulnerable vehicles.
Police issued the reminder after they said they found “countless” cars that were stolen, including one early Saturday morning.A vehicle shown in the post had its passenger side window broken and steering column “mutilated.”
Police Capt. Finerty told Channel 11, the car was stolen from Pittsburgh and then abandoned at the VFW on Chartiers Avenue.
Kias and Hyundais have been targeted over the years because of a flawed design that can allow them to start without a key, making them easy to steal.
The trend, however, goes beyond those two manufacturers.
Honda Accords from the mid to late 90s have also been targeted because they don’t have the anti-theft technology.
Jenny Vogel, who’s lived in McKees Rocks for several years, said a man tried to break into her boyfriend’s Honda Accord Saturday morning. She said it happened in front of her house on Rosamond Street.
The attempted theft was caught on camera. Her home security video showed a man casually walking up to the car. He then tried to open the door, then walked off.
“He grabs the handle, looks at my camera, looks again,” Vogel said. “I seen the video and I said, ‘Babe somebody’s trying to break into your car.’ He said, ‘What?’”
Thankfully, the doors were locked.
“There was nothing in the car,” said Vogel. “There’s clearly nothing in there. You can see. What are you trying to get?”
The Honda Accord is the most stolen car of the past decade across the country, according to data from the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Vogel said she’s now strongly considering getting a steering wheel lock.
“I’m thankful nothing really happened,” she said. “You shouldn’t have to feel not safe where you live. When I first moved here I didn’t have to worry about that. It’s just getting worse and worse and worse and worse.”
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