LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A 12 year old is the latest suspect of a car theft in Louisville. Thursday, the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) posted to Facebook and said the juvenile was caught with a stolen KIA.
Police also reminded the public of the dangers of a continued string of car thefts targeting KIA’s and Hyundai’s.
The thefts seemingly stem from a viral social media challenge that teaches people how to steal those cars using a USB cable. LMPD said it's still a popular trend in some areas of Louisville.
Rick Dulin was a victim of car theft back in April; he owned a KIA Soul, and it was stolen while parked in his backyard. Now, his new Toyota Rav4 sits there.
“[There was] so much hardship for me to come up with 1,000 bucks for a deductible,” Dulin said. “We had just moved to this house.”
Soon after, he said LMPD found his car badly damaged.
“There were drugs smoked in the car. The seats were burned,” Dulin said. “The ignition was all torn out. They had wrecked the tires and the rims, and it had lots and lots of damage.”
Dulin said police also told him there were guns in the car. In June, he said there was an arrest.
Although repair was an option, he decided against it.
"I had been totally violated and I just didn't want the car,” Dulin said.
As of September, LMPD said one-third of all vehicles stolen in the Metro have been KIA’s and Hyundai’s.
Now, the most recent suspect is a 12 year old.
"For me, a 12 year old kid - I don't blame you completely,” Dulin said. “There's a parental issue here.”
Dulin said he's never seen social media control young people as it does now.
“That says very clearly that the influence of the parent has been erased off the chalkboard, and now it's the influence of TikTok, or whoever it may be, that dictates what our children do,” Dulin said. “Something's wrong with that picture.”
Last month, LMPD posted a video reminding people to be vigilant. Police urge people to lock their car doors, park in well-lit areas, buy a steering wheel anti-theft device and a tracking device.
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