RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The Richmond Police Department held a free steering wheel lock giveaway for Richmond drivers that own a Kia or Hyundai vehicle, providing the public with tips to prevent car theft.
On Sunday, March 10, the Richmond Police Department hosted a steering wheel lock giveaway for Richmond drivers as part of an effort to reduce rampant car thefts happening across the community.
8News spoke with multiple members of the department including Acting Captain Frank Scarpa.
“The Fan area has been hit hard,” Scarpa said. “I’d say 45% of the motor vehicle thefts, especially involving Kias and Hyundais are occurring in that area.”
According to the department’s 2023 end-of-year crime briefing, Richmond saw a 68% increase in car thefts last year, with 848 Kias and Hyundais reported stolen across the city compared to 110 the year prior.
Frustrated and determined to curb those stats in 2024, law enforcement officials, like Richmond Police Department Lieutenant Ryan Nixon, are urging community members to take the threat of theft seriously, championing the use of steering wheel locks.
“It’s a huge deterrent when [criminals] see that, the criminal may say, ‘Oh, I’m not going to go through the unnecessary steps of dealing with this,’” Lt. Nixon said about steering wheel locks installed in cars.
Scarpa said the rise in Kia and Hyundai vehicle thefts started with a social media trend that showed criminals how to use mechanical defects in these models to hack their way into the car quickly and drive away.
“About a year ago, there was some video that got out there and would show it, which taught some of our criminals to steal cars by using a USB cable,” Scarpa said.
Unfortunately, those criminals didn’t retire the USB cables for the new year. According to the Richmond Police Department, 33 cars were reported stolen within the first couple of weeks of this year.
8News asked the department about the city’s current car theft trend as of March.
“They’ve leveled off,” Scarpa said. “We’re still getting a lot of motor vehicle thefts, but that’s why we’re out here.”
Richmond resident Caroline Whisnant showed up to the event this morning to get her free steering wheel lock for her 2023 Hyundai Accent.
Whisnant said she does not know anyone personally who has had their vehicle stolen, but 8News asked if having her car stolen is a prominent concern on her mind.
“Definitely,” Whisnant said. “It is good to have as much protection as you can.”
A car break-in can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage. Police told 8News that stolen vehicles are often used to commit more crimes.
The simplest safety tip that the Richmond Police Department provided to stop a car from being stolen is to make sure it is locked.
“Lock your door,” Scarpa said when asked about safety tips to prevent car theft. “That would be very good. Try to keep things out of the car that would attract thieves. Like wallets, personal items, things like that.”
As of early afternoon on Sunday, officers had given out nearly 50 steering wheel locks to Richmond drivers. Police said they have plenty more, so anyone who lives in Richmond that drives a Kia or Hyundai model can stop by any of the four precincts to pick one up for free.
