Covington residents who drive certain model Kia and Hyundai vehicles affected by defective ignitions are in luck — the city is giving out free steering wheel locks to avoid thefts caused by the defect at the Covington Police Department.
The city announced Monday that it had reached out to the manufacturers of the vehicles to obtain steering wheel locks in the wake of dozens of thefts related to a national trend, said Assistant Police Chief Justin Wietholder.
In a release sent out Monday, the city cited a video circulating on social media in the past few months that shows how thieves – dubbed “Kia boys” – can exploit the design of certain vehicles and more easily steal them.
“We wanted to be proactive and do what we can to help residents as the car manufacturers do their part to address this in different ways,” Wietholter said.
Affected vehicles are:
- Kia: 2011-2021 vehicles that use a steel key to “turn to start” the ignition.
- Hyundai: 2011-2021 vehicles that have a keyed ignition and don’t have an immobilizer.
Here’s how to obtain a free steering wheel lock:
- Go to department headquarters at 1 Police Memorial Drive at 20th and Madison between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
- Bring proof of Covington residency and proof of ownership of the vehicle.
Two things to note:
- Police have 216 steering wheel locks, and they’re available on a first-come, first-served basis until they run out.
- Only certain models are eligible.
Kia and Hyundai are also offering free software updates that solve the vulnerability. Kia owners can contact the company’s Customer Care team directly at (800) 333-4542 (4Kia) or visit a web portal at Kia Anti-Theft. Hyundai owners can call (800) 633-5151 or check their VIN number at Hyundai eligible vehicles.
Hyundai also announced that it is partnering with AAA insurers on an insurance coverage option for customers affected by the theft.
Meanwhile, Wietholter urged owners of all vehicles around Covington to take these steps to prevent thefts of their vehicles and goods.
- Lock your car doors.
- Don’t leave keys in them.
- Don’t leave valuables (guns, money, electronics etc.) in the vehicles, and especially not in plain sight.
“Too many people are making it too easy for would-be thieves,” he said. “If you watch (security) videos, you can see thieves just walking up and down the streets, checking car doors. If they’re locked, they move on.”
