SANFORD, Fla. – Sanford police are getting results tackling the thefts of certain Kias and Hyundais via a trend made popular on TikTok and other social media platforms.
It started in 2022 when crooks figured out how to easily and quickly take certain models of the Korean-made cars – then posting the how-to on social media. Teenagers around the country, including here in Central Florida, joined in.
TikTok told News 6 that it removes content that promotes or enables criminal activity, including theft and violence.
When the cars started disappearing from driveways and even local dealership lots, Sanford Officer Christopher French did more than just investigate the thefts. He began distributing hundreds of steering wheel locks, donated by Hyundai, to Sanford residents – absolutely free.
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The problem got so bad last year that when an owner’s Hyundai was almost stolen, the owner brought it to the dealership for repairs. Thieves ending up taking it anyway from the dealership lot.
When French responded, he asked the dealer about the steering wheel locks. He said Hyundai agreed to give the Sanford Police Department as many as it needs for them to donate to residents.
“Specific years, specific models, essentially were never designed with a mechanism built into the vehicle that stops people from taking it without a key,” French said. “We just fill out the form online and within a few days they’ll be shipped to our department.”
French said he handed out 150 steering wheel locks to residents in a matter of months.
Officer Tammy Townsend, Sanford police public information officer, said thefts in the city have dropped “significantly” from a high of 21 in July 2023 to two in March.
French explained how easy it is to install the steering wheel lock.
“All you do is take the steering wheel lock, you have the black part of the steering wheel lock at the top of the steering wheel and you place the bottom on the steering wheel and you basically pull it and you lock it till you don’t hear it click anymore,” French said. “And what it does is as the steering wheel is turned, the top portion of the steering wheel lock hits the A-pillar. Or it will hit the center console of your vehicle. So it stops the steering wheel from turning.”
French said he currently has 60 steering wheel locks on hand at the Sanford Police Department and can order more from Hyundai.
Just email Sanford police at CRU@sanfordfl.gov to make an appointment to pick up a free steering wheel lock.
French asked that residents bring their registration to show they own the affected Kias or Hyundais (roughly model year 2015-2019) and he’ll provide one per resident, absolutely free.
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