COLUMBUS, Ohio — Columbus City Council unanimously approved funding for attorneys to file a lawsuit against automakers Hyundai and Kia.
City attorney Zach Klein claims because the cars were not built with an anti-theft device and they are more prone to being stolen.
“Like mine being brand new, it shouldn't have been so easy to be stolen, but it was. Twice,” said Gladys Young, who owns a Hyundai.
There are a couple thousand Hyundai and Kia theft victims in the city in the last year, few are as unlucky as Young, who has had her car stolen twice in a matter of months.
Reported stolen Hyundais and Kias are up nearly 500% in the city of Columbus compared to this time last year.
According to statistics from the Columbus Division of police, there were 273 Hyundais and 224 Kias stolen between Jan. 1, 2021, and Oct. 15, 2021. In that same time frame for this year, there have been 1,497 Hyundais and 1,243 Kias stolen.
While there are aftermarket anti-theft devices she can install, Young argues she shouldn't have to foot the bill.
“No, I'm not going to pay for it. They should have already had it installed in the car before I even bought the car,” Young argued.
She was interested in hearing the city is taking steps to sue the automakers. Klein announced the lawsuit against Hyundai and Kia are expected to be filed by the end of the week.
“If it is money damages because the city of Columbus is the litigant, the city of Columbus is the receiver of the money and that will go to the general fund and to the division of police,” Klein said.
Young argues the videos showing kids how to steal the cars should be taken off the internet, and victims like herself should be compensated.
“I think that's wrong because, as victims, it's us out here losing our cars and stuff. We should get some kind of damages for it. We are the ones who have to pay the high price on our insurance and everything else,” Young said.