Kias and Hyundais targets for car thefts in Quincy

QUINCY — The Quincy Police Department received numerous burglary to motor vehicle and stolen vehicle reports over the past weekend.

The crimes seem to be clustered in the northwestern and northeastern parts of the city. Many of the reports involve unlocked cars, cars with keys left in them, and Kia and Hyundai model vehicles, specifically. Many of the stolen vehicles have been located a short distance from where they were taken.

For those unaware, some older Hyundai and Kia model vehicles – model year 2015 to 2019, specifically those with a turn-key ignition – lack basic auto theft prevention technology. This makes the vehicle more susceptible to theft. Theft of these types of vehicles has been an issue in many larger cities for years but has only recently become a problem here in Quincy. Anyone who thinks their Kia or Hyundai vehicle may be at higher risk for theft should reach out to their respective dealer and inquire about a fix.

Many of these incidents are crimes of opportunity and often occur during the nighttime hours. Owners are encouraged to lock their vehicle, remove all valuables from the vehicle – or conceal them in the trunk, and ensure the keys are not left in the car. These simple steps will not prevent all crime, but making your property less appealing and more difficult to access can go a long way.

Anyone witnessing suspicious activity is asked to call 911 and report what is occurring immediately so officers can respond. The Quincy Police Department Special Investigations Unit is working closely with the Adams County Sheriff’s Department to identify and follow up on investigative leads.

If anyone has information related to this recent rash of burglaries and stolen vehicles or has surveillance video that may be relevant to the investigation, please reach out to Sgt. Nick Eddy at the Quincy Police Department (217-228-4470) or submit a CrimeStoppers tip by going to quincycrimestoppers.com.