Chicago Sues Automakers for Car Theft Spike
On Thursday, Democratic leaders in Chicago filed a lawsuit against Kia and Hyundai. They claim that these car manufacturers are being held responsible for an increase in car thefts, as thieves can easily break into their vehicles.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the city is accusing Kia and Hyundai of neglecting to incorporate effective anti-theft technology, despite being aware of its efficacy. The city argues that these companies could have easily prevented car thefts, pointing to videos online showing thieves using USB plugs to start the cars.
Chicago officials, including Mayor Brandon Johnson (D.), who is associated with the far-left, did not acknowledge the significant rise in crime since he assumed office in May. The Center Square reported a 38 percent overall crime increase from May to June, with car thefts specifically rising by 153 percent in May compared to the previous year. Despite these statistics, Johnson, who ran on a soft-on-crime platform and supports defunding the police, was elected this year.
Under Johnson's leadership, Chicago has been plagued by persistent violence, with numerous injuries and fatalities occurring during violent weekends throughout the summer. In response, a Chicago Democrat even urged gang members to limit their violent activities to nighttime.
Recently, Illinois's highest court upheld a Democratic bill that eliminates cash bail for all types of crimes.
Blaming Kia and Hyundai for the surge in car thefts isn't exclusive to Johnson. California's Attorney General, Rob Bonta, also accused these car manufacturers of failing to implement anti-theft technology in March, as reported by the Washington Free Beacon. Notably, Bonta did not mention that homicides, property crime, and violent crime had all risen during his first year in office.
New York City also joined the legal action against the carmakers, attributing a "spiraling epidemic" of car thefts to their actions, as CNBC reported.
Kia spokesperson James Bell dismissed the lawsuits as baseless, stating that government agencies had approved the vehicles in question. On the other hand, Hyundai spokesperson Ira Gabriel highlighted the company's efforts to update their anti-theft software.
