Lauren Donovan, KIRO 7 NewsSKYWAY, Wash. — Miles Stanberry was unaware of the recent viral TikTok challenge that enabled criminals to use a thumb drive to start Kia and Hyundai cars until he became a victim of the thefts.
Stanberry, owner of Moon Village Bakery in Skyway, says he relied on the 2020 Hyundai Venue to make deliveries. Margins are thin, and the baker says he’d also use the car as a Lyft driver to make ends meet. “For the first time in my life, I felt like I was getting to the point where I wasn’t struggling so much,” said Stanberry. “And then, I just get sideswiped by this.”
According to Tacoma police, on Feb. 19, thieves stole his car, took it for a joyride and crashed it into a Tacoma home. Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that more than 3.8 million Hyundai and 4.5 million Kia vehicles are eligible for a software update that could protect them from theft.“They built a car that is incredibly easy to steal,” said Stanberry. “They should be reimbursing people or helping people get cars when these things have happened.
They got it easy. At least their car is totalled and will get an insurance check asap. My hyundai wasnt and has been in the shop since December cuz it was stolen. I need an article and gofundme too.
Property crimes effect people every day. This isn't new. Too bad our laws don't reflect this.