Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is seeking to combat a surge in vehicle thefts by going after auto manufacturers, prompting Republicans to accuse him of blaming cars for being stolen.
Mr. Ellison, a Democrat, has launched a civil investigation into whether Kia and Hyundai violated public nuisance and consumer protection standards by failing to include until recently “industry-standard, anti-theft technology” on some vehicles.
“Kia and Hyundai vehicles might as well have a giant bumper sticker that says ’steal me’ on them,” Mr. Ellison said at a press conference last Tuesday.
Reported thefts of Kia and Hyundai cars have soared, jumping in 2022 by 836% in Minneapolis and 611% in St. Paul over 2021 rates. The stolen vehicles were sometimes used in other crimes, including five homicides, 13 shootings, 36 robberies, and 265 car accidents, according to the attorney general’s office.
That said, Mr. Ellison’s announcement met with plenty of eye-rolling on the right as critics accused him of essentially blaming the victim, in this case, the sedan.
“As violent crime skyrocketed in the Twin Cities in recent years, Minnesota AG Keith Ellison is blaming the car for getting stolen rather than the criminal who stole the car,” Rep. Pete Stauber, Minnesota Republican, tweeted. “It’s getting hard to recognize Minnesota.”
The Republican Party of Minnesota had another suggestion for reducing car thefts: Get tough on crime.
“Democrat Keith Ellison supported abolishing police in Minnesota’s largest city. Now motor vehicle thefts in Minnesota are the highest they’ve been in 20 years,” state Republican Party Executive Director Mike Lonergan said.
The Republicans referred to Mr. Ellison’s support for Question 2, the 2021 Minneapolis ballot measure that would have dismantled the police department and replaced it with a “Department of Public Safety.” The measure failed.
“Meanwhile, liberal judges appointed by Democrats keep letting criminals back out on the street with a slap on the wrist,” said Mr. Lonergan. “Keith Ellison’s announcement proves yet again that the Democrats will do anything they can to avoid holding criminals accountable for their crimes.”
The attorney general’s office said that Kia and Hyundai only recently began including anti-theft “engine-immobilizer” technology on many U.S.-sold vehicles, which “prevents a vehicle’s engine from starting without using the vehicle’s ’smart’ key.”
“By failing to equip their vehicles with this anti-theft technology, Kia and Hyundai lagged behind industry standards,” said the office in a press release. “For example, according to one report, in 2015, only 26% of the vehicles Kia and Hyundai sold in the United States were equipped with engine immobilizer technology. In comparison, 96% of the vehicles sold by all other competitors were equipped with this anti-theft technology.”
Mr. Ellison said that thieves have figured this out, even posting TikTok videos on how to steal the cars.
Typical of Keith Ellison to blame the car manufacturers instead of the criminals stealing the cars https://t.co/pLt213vJ77
— Anthony Laurie (Энтони Лори) (@AnthonyALaurie) March 8, 2023
Then again, Minneapolis carjackers aren’t just making off with Sonatas and Sorentos. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the most-stolen vehicles in Minnesota in 2021 were the Honda Civic, Honda CR-V, Chevrolet pick-up, and Honda Accord.
In fact, no Kia or Hyundai model cracked the list of the top 10 most stolen cars in Minnesota in the bureau’s annual Hot Wheels report released in July.
The car manufacturers defended their security systems, saying all their vehicles meet the anti-theft requirements under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. In addition, both companies are making available free software upgrades and steering wheel locks for eligible owners.
Hyundai said that the software upgrade is designed to “prevent the vehicles from starting during a method of theft popularized on TikTok and other social media channels.”
“We have also shipped or are in the process of shipping over 23,000 free steering wheel locks to over 120 law enforcement agencies across the country, including nearly 300 to police departments in the Minneapolis/St. Paul region requested, and we will continue to provide supplies of those locks as they are needed,” said Kia America in a statement.
Others compared the decision to Democrats targeting firearms manufacturers to reduce criminal shootings.
“Keith Ellison went after Fleet Farm for selling guns that get to criminals,” @covid_clarity tweeted on its account. “Now he’s going after car companies for selling cars that get stolen. How about going after the actual criminals… the killers and car thieves?”
In October, Mr. Ellison sued Fleet Farm for allegedly selling handguns to straw purchasers that were then used in crimes, including a deadly October 2021 shooting at a St. Paul bar. Fleet Farm called the lawsuit “disappointing” and said that it has complied with “all applicable gun laws.”
Mr. Ellison said that other states might follow suit on investigating car manufacturers, comparing the situation to the multi-state settlements reached with tobacco companies, mortgage lenders, and opioid makers and distributors.
“So somebody has to lead,” he said. “And we are doing that, but given my conversations, I’m pretty sure we’ll be joined fairly soon.”
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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