COLUMBUS, Ohio — Tonia and Tom McFerin have had a rough few months.
“It’s just you lose your sense of security,” Tonia said.
They had seen the reports and they had heard about the "Kia Boys" but before they could act, their 2020 Hyundai was stolen back in July.
CrimeTracker 10 has been reporting on the Kia Boys since the beginning of the year. The group targets Hyundais and Kias because they are easier to steal.
“Let me tell you, it’s a pretty empty feeling when you look out the front door at 7:30 in the morning and your wife’s still in bed and there’s no car,” Tom said.
Adding insult to injury, when the vehicle was found it was impounded and, because of a hiccup on the report, the McFerins had to pay $299 to get it out. It was an oversight that wasn’t cleared up until months later.
According to Columbus Police, from January to the end of September in 2020 there were 3,576 cars stolen and 305 were Kia and Hyundai models. In that same time period in 2022, 6,604 cars were stolen and 2,845 were Kia and Hyundai vehicles.
Hyundai says it now has what drivers need: a $170 security kit (not including installation fees) that the owner has to pay for.
“So, you’re getting…excuse my word, but you’re getting screwed again,” Tonia said.
The McFerins think Hyundai needs to do better.
“I believe so,” Tom said. “Hyundai finance certainly knows where to send the bill each month.”
“They should have these cars recalled and have this device installed for free,” Tonia said.
The McFerins sold their Hyundai and, despite being a 2020 model with only 4,100 miles on it, they say they only got a fraction of what it was worth because the car’s report lists it as stolen. It’s one more thing they say Hyundai needs to make right.
“If they stand behind their vehicle, they should stand behind their drivers,” Tom said.