GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan — Michigan State Police is now offering wheel locks as a new, proactive approach to preventing auto theft.
‘Is it worth it?’ Victim of a stolen car has a message for thieves
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This comes as hundreds of Kia and Hyundai vehicles have been stolen across West Michigan.
FOX 17 spoke to Mallory Karazewski, who has dealt with auto theft firsthand.
“I don’t understand the thought process of why people would want to steal people’s cars just for fun, just to have fun and for them to just break them,” she said.
Karazewski is the proud owner of a 2019 Kia – the first new car she has ever owned.
“That’s what I like best. I thought this is actually a really roomy car for its size,” she said.
After Karazewski got the car, he heard about the thefts happening all over West Michigan. Then she became part of the statistics.
“There were points where I would wake up two or three times throughout the night and check to see if my car was still out there,” added Karazewski.
The Kent County Sheriff’s Office said it investigated 415 stolen vehicles in 2022 – 112 of which were either a Kia or Hyundai.
The latest figures show that so far in 2023, the sheriff’s office has investigated 109 stolen vehicles, 24 of which were Kias and Hyundais.
“Is it worth it to catch a felony charge like that? But why, for a few hours of driving fun? I just don’t think I understand the thought process that goes through people’s heads, why?”
Karazewski says someone broke into her car and took it for an hours-long pleasure ride. She got it back, but not without damage.
“On the passenger side, the front end and part of the grille have been knocked out. It’s part of the bumpers all smashed. The whole side, the passenger side, is swiped sideways down. There are some scratches on the other side of the rear bumper. The plastic covering the inside of the wheel is being torn off the bumpers,” she explained. “The ignition is obviously torn apart, because that’s how they get it home… smashed beer cans in the back.”
Now she’s without a car while MPs try to find out who stole it.
“I had just got the software update letter in the mail and was planning on taking it to the Kia dealer that day to have the update done because it was my first day off because I have six, seven days work the week.”
Michigan State Police say they have partnered with Hyundai Motor America so they will make wheel locks available to any Hyundai owner who wants one.
CONTINUE READING: MSP, Hyundai offers wheel locks to deter theft
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