Almost half of the cars stolen in Prince George’s County so far this year have been Kias and Hyundais, including a woman’s car targeted four times in recent months.
Since the beginning of the year, 799 Hyundais and 470 Kias have been stolen in Prince George’s County – 49% of the cars stolen so far this year.
Daneisha Simms says she loves her 2020 Kia Forte and uses it to get to her job at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center.
“My car is everything to me,” she said. “My car is my baby. Like, it’s valuable to me. I put a lot of effort, hard work and dedication into buying things and to just be ripped away from me, it’s not a good feeling.”
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But thieves continue to target her car, breaking windows and twice tearing out the ignition outside her Suitland apartment complex.
The first time the ignition was ripped out, it cost her $2,000 and her insurance company dropped her, she said.
Friday about 3:15 a.m. as she headed to work, her car wasn’t there.
Prince George's County
Prince George's County, Maryland, news updates, events and information
Police found it hours later a few blocks away with the ignition ripped out again.
“I feel like something is being taken away from me or I’m being taken advantage of, and my apartment complex isn’t doing anything about it, the police aren’t doing anything about it,” she said. “What do I do? Where do I go? Where do I turn to?”
Police have distributed free clubs to Kia and Hyundai owners that were provided to the county by the car companies.
More help may be on the way as last week Maryland was among 17 states asking for a federal recall of theft prone Kias and Hyundais.
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