Thieves first break in through windows. Then, they use screwdrivers and jam them into the steering columns.
Apparently, there is a port for a USB cable in the column to start the cars. By jamming a screwdriver into the port accomplishes the same thing. Once stabbed into the port, the car starts right up.
It’ll be interesting how many millions the sociologists will spend trying to figure this out for the benefit of society.
When I was a kid we had a problem with cats assembling in the back yard late at night serenading our cat. My dad always kept a shot gun shell in the bed side table to use. Not to kill them but to scare them. It worked.
Over 50%? I find that hard to believe.
Joy ride my guess. So easy!
Isn’t that kind of bottom of the barrel, having to steal a Kia for a joy ride? Have they no pride? Do they not have girl friends that would laugh at them?
One step up from no car 
Tellyourride not to get stolen.
You won’t be a RangeRover in my car?
Haven’t heard of that problem w/those makes. Here in San Jose Honda’s seem to be the preferred target, not so much for stealing the vehicle, but for stealing their parts. I can’t image why someone would want to risk a felony conviction & prison term in order to possess a Hyundai or Kia. No disrespect to those makes intended, but it seems not enough bang for the buck. It’s like someone breaking into a house with the intent to steal a bunch of broccoli from the fridge.
As far as Honda parts theft, two Honda-owner neighbors have had parts recently stolen, two starter motors from one of cars, and a cat from the other. Dozen’s of Toyotas, Lexus, Mercedes parked on the same street untouched.
Just put a big sign in your window.
CAT already stolen, You are to late. 
lol … this particular Honda owner’s solution for cat-theft was to trade the vehicle in for a new , similarly configured Toyota version.
To slide off a little from car thefts to car jacking, in Minneapolis a reporter and police did an under cover operation on the rash of recent car jackings. They identified a group of about 20 very young kids responsible. The police said the all were known to them, just can’t keep them off the street. Target the 20 and the car jackings stop. The old broken windows program really does work but it has to go beyond just the police picking them up for a few hours. Its just math again.
Some car thieves will steal almost anything, I guess, but I think that the ease of theft is the main factor. About 5 years ago, someone in the next county reported that his Olds Cutlass had been stolen, and that Cutlass would have to have been over 15 years old at the time.
If the thieves had a customer for Kia/Hyundai parts, they would steal them. Cars are also stolen for export. I watched a documentary about that a couple months ago. Cars were stolen, delivered to the nearest port in a container, and then delivered to Nigeria. I’m sure cars go other places too.
News had video of freeway chase yesterday in mpls. 3 guns found in car. Driver has 23 arrests. Made bail by 6pm newscast. Sounds like courts don’t care about criminals.
What is the law in this matter? Judges do what they have to under the law. I don’t know what Minnesota law requires in this situation. I imagine that bail was quite high, but again, I don’t know what Minnesota requires.
Remember that bail is theoretically to ensure that the accused shows up in court. Until he or she pleads guilty or is convicted at trial, the accused is as innocent as you or I.
It really has nothing to do with what the law is. Judges determine the bail if any. I don’t know the particulars of this case but it is kind of a family affair in the metro area. Some of the old time greats like Orville Freeman and Hubert Humphrey from the 60’s, had kids. There are lots of dots to connect including newspaper people.
Orville and Hubert joined forces back in 1948 to clean up the party but it didn’t last.
How many convictions? Sounds bad, my first thought society should be protected.