Image Credit: Navigator84 / CC & Canva.
Article by Paula Gomes, Tennessee Conservative News –
Following a record number of cases of car thefts in 2023 prompted in part by a TikTok challenge and which later led the City of Nashville to join a class-action lawsuit against two auto manufacturers, the Metro Nashville Council is now finalizing the payout from a settlement.
Automakers Kia and Hyundai paid Metro Nashville $1,222,242.35 but after subtracting attorney fees, will retain $747,819.
The money is earmarked for the general fund to offset the costs that were incurred by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) who had to investigate the thefts.
The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County alleged in court documents that almost a third of all cars reported stolen in 2023 were Hyundais and Kias.
Attorneys for the city argued that the automakers had failed to install reasonable anti-theft technology on the cars which led to the uptick in stolen vehicles.
“The Kia Challenge” on TikTok and other videos like it showed how to steal certain makes and models of 2010-2021 Kia and Hyundai cars that utilize a mechanical key for the ignition rather than a key fob and push-button on most new vehicles. The specific models that were targeted did not have immobilizers which would have cut off the fuel pump, making the cars impossible to start.
Incentivized by this social media content, young people broke into cars, popped off the steering wheel column and then hot wired the vehicles using USB cables.
Law enforcement and victims of theft reported that the cars were used for joyrides, damaged, destroyed, and left on the side of the road.
In an effort to curb the crimes, both Hyundai and Kia offered to provide owners free anti-theft software updates as well as steering wheel locks.
Sources:
TennesseeConservativeNews.com.
TennesseeConservativeNews.com.
WKRN.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
