CINCINNATI — It happened again.
Kevin Corbett walked out of his College Hill home, ready to get in his car for another day of substitute teaching last Thursday when he noticed his 2015 Hyundai Sonata wasn't where he parked it.
It wasn't down the street or on the other block. It wasn't anywhere in the area, because it had been stolen for the second time in six months.
"It's not there. At first, I was just in shock. I almost didn't feel anything. I was just like, 'Wow. It's hard to believe this is happening,'" Corbett said.
Corbett filed a report with Cincinnati police. Five days later, he's still waiting for an update. Corbett had hoped his car would have been recovered by now considering how quickly he got it back last time.
Hear more from Corbin below:
Corbett said his car was first stolen in late August by a group dubbed the "Kia Boys" which targeted Kia and Hyundai cars in Cincinnati, stealing them for joyrides. Police located his car abandoned in a parking lot in Lebanon. The steering column was popped open and the ignition column was loose, but Corbett was able to repair the issues.
For months, Corbett kept his car in the garage to protect it from other potential car thieves. That effort worked, but two weeks ago he had to start parking on the street again.
With his car back in the elements, he scheduled an appointment at a Hyundai car dealership on Feb. 18 to install the company's free anti-theft software upgrade. Kia and Hyundai implemented the service in early 2023 when instructional videos posted on social media kicked off a viral trend of thefts targeting vehicles without push-button ignitions and immobilizing anti-theft devices in the United States.
Hyundai's software upgrade modifies certain vehicle control modules on vehicles equipped with standard "turn-key-to-start" ignition systems. As a result, locking the doors will set the factory alarm and activate an “ignition kill” feature so the vehicle cannot be started when subjected to the popularized theft mode. Vehicles with the software also receive an anti-theft window sticker
Corbett's car was stolen two days after techs installed the upgrade and attached the sticker. He's unsure if he remembered to lock his doors.
"I (still) figured they wouldn't be able to turn (the car) back on," he said. "I thought everything would be fine but then it wasn't."
Corbett is not the first person to be left scratching their heads. A 2024 study found while the software has helped reduce car thefts, it hasn't prevented them completely. The report says cars with the software upgrade had 53% lower theft claim frequencies than those without.
"Theft claim frequency for Hyundai and Kia vehicles remains elevated, even for models with the new software. One reason may be that the software-based immobilizer only activates if the driver remembers to lock the vehicle with a fob, while many people are in the habit of using the switch on the door handle," the report reads.
WCPO contacted Hyundai on Tuesday for a response to Corbett's situation. A spokesperson wrote back on Tuesday.
Hyundai Motor America is committed to ensuring the quality and integrity of our products. A subset of Hyundai vehicles on the road in the U.S. today – primarily “base trim” or entry-level models – are not equipped with push-button ignitions and immobilizing anti-theft devices. It is important to clarify that many of these vehicles are now eligible for free software upgrades or ignition cylinder protectors designed to prevent the popularized method of theft. Notices have been sent to registered owners and customers can check their vehicle eligibility by visiting: https://autoservice.hyundaiusa.com/campaignhome [autoservice.hyundaiusa.com].
In response to thieves promoting their exploits on TikTok and other social media channels, Hyundai has taken comprehensive action to assist our customers, including: (1) Made engine immobilizers standard on all vehicles produced as of November 2021; (2) Developed a software upgrade to equip these vehicles with an “ignition kill” feature designed to prevent the popularized method of theft; (3) Rolled out the free anti-theft software upgrade to all of the nearly 4 million vehicles involved through a service campaign to affected customers who own or lease model year 2011-2022 vehicles; (4) Launched a dedicated website HyundaiAntiTheft.com [hyundaiantitheft.com], toll-free number (888) 498-0390 and digital advertising to generate awareness of the software upgrade, help customers determine their eligibility, and schedule an appointment at their local Hyundai dealership; (5) Initiated a program to reimburse affected customers for their purchase of steering wheel locks, including for a smaller group of 2011-2022 model year vehicles that cannot accommodate the software upgrade (these vehicles are now eligible for ignition cylinder protectors at no cost); (6) Established a program to provide free steering wheel locks to law enforcement agencies across the country for distribution to local residents who own or lease the affected vehicles; (7) Collaborated with AAA insurers on a program to offer insurance options for affected owners and lessees. As part of this collaboration, AAA insurers will issue new and renewal policies for eligible affected Hyundai customers. The program will be available in all states except those where AAA does not offer insurance. (e.g., Alaska, Massachusetts, Washington); (8) Piloted mobile service centers in Washington, D.C., St. Louis County, MO, Dallas, Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Paul, upstate New York and Baltimore with plans to replicate activities with our dealers in additional markets to further scale and speed installation of the software upgrade.
Recently, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety published a detailed report confirming the effectiveness of the Hyundai anti-theft software upgrade. A copy of that report is here: www.hyundaiantitheft.com [hyundaiantitheft.com].
The software upgrade and ignition cylinder protector are effectively designed to prevent the mode of theft popularized on social media. We continue to instruct customers to lock their vehicles for the software upgrade to take effect. As of this writing, Hyundai’s software upgrade campaign is at 65% completion for on road vehicles, representing more than 1.4 million vehicles. Hyundai is committed to continuing our efforts to assist our customers with this issue.
For customers who own a 2011-2022 Hyundai that did not have an immobilizer (class vehicle) and experienced a qualifying theft or theft attempt, there is also relief available pursuant to an approved class settlement, and we encourage owners to submit claims by the April 28, 2025 deadline. Please visit www.hyundaitheftsettlement.com [hyundaitheftsettlement.com] for more details.
Corbett said he's frustrated because he feels Hyundai gave him a false sense of security. He's been unable to get to work without a consistent form of transportation and though he now intends to purchase a new car, he's unsure how he will find the funds to do so.
"In moments of anger, when it first started I was like, 'Those kids...' but upon a reflection I'm like OK there are kids with different economic situations and there are kids whose brains aren't fully developed," Corbett said. "But those people at Hyundai who made the cars these ways — their brains are fully developed and they should have known. They shouldn't have had this happen in the first place and they shouldn't have been putting out these supposed solutions that don't actually work.
WCPO checked with CPD on Tuesday for an update on the investigation into Corbett's stolen car. The detective assigned to the case is seeking out possible security camera footage that may have captured the thieves.
CPD said the same detective recalled another car theft from the same road at the end of January. That case is also still under investigation. It's unclear if that vehicle was a Kia or Hyundai.
Meanwhile, CPD shared a note on an attempted car theft in downtown this past weekend.
"All vehicles’ windows were broken out. There was a vehicle that was attempted to be stolen (a Kia), but the software upgrade made it unsuccessful," the note read.
"Basically if there's a message I want it's like, 'Be careful if you get that update,'" Corbett said. "It might not work as well as Hyundai seems to be putting out that it does and that there are still vulnerabilities at least."
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