Three anti-crime organizations have requested YouTube to take down all movies that train folks how one can steal Kia and Hyundai vehicles. The organizations – the Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau (NICB), the Coalition Towards Insurance coverage Fraud, and the Worldwide Affiliation of Particular Investigation Models (IASIU) – made their request in response to a spike in thefts of those autos.
The Freeway Loss Knowledge Institute (HLDI) late final 12 months reported that bargain-priced Kia and Hyundai autos have been being focused for theft at charges much like muscle vehicles and SUVs, primarily based on an evaluation of 2021 insurance coverage claims. The spike is due, partly, to the truth that the fashions being stolen don’t have digital immoblizers that cease thieves from bypassing the ignition.
Some thieves have even made educational movies – shared on platforms like YouTube and TikTok – on how one can carry out the theft process utilizing only a screwdriver and a USB cable. Since these movies began showing on social media, police departments throughout the U.S. have reported drastic will increase in Kia and Hyundai thefts.
In Chicago, for instance, the place solely 328 Kias have been stolen in 2021, greater than 3,500 have been stolen final 12 months, CBS Chicago reported.
“On a regular basis shoppers are being victimized by criminals utilizing social media platforms to be taught their latest unlawful methods and methods,” stated David Glawe, president and CEO of the NICB. “Some platforms will not be doing sufficient to guard harmless victims from pointless hurt.”
Celeste Dodson, president of IASIU, added, “When a car is stolen, it’s typically not the top of the crime however the starting. Automobile thefts are related to a mess of prison exercise, together with insurance coverage fraud. The price of these crimes is then handed on to shoppers via greater premiums.”
Personal-passenger auto insurance coverage premium charges are experiencing upward stress on account of quite a lot of elements, together with:
- Rising insurer losses on account of growing accident frequency and severity;
- Extra fatalities and accidents on the highway, resulting in elevated lawyer involvement in claims;
- Persevering with supply-chain points, resulting in rising prices for vehicles, substitute elements, and labor; and
- Extra pricey auto repairs on account of safer, extra technologically subtle autos.
Thefts of autos or parts like catalytic converters solely enhance that stress to lift charges.
The one approach to flip that stress down is to scale back claims and losses by decreasing accidents and thefts. Making it tougher for folks to discover ways to break the legislation and trigger injury by watching on-line movies could be a small however wanted step in that course.
