5 days ago
Two 14-year-old boys arrested after attempted Hyundai thefts in St. Cloud
Two 14-year-old boys have been arrested following the latest incidents of attempted vehicle thefts involving Kia or Hyundai models in St. Cloud.
St. Cloud PD says the first incident was reported around 5:45 p.m. on Sunday on the 1400 block of Washington Memorial Drive, with a 911 caller reporting two boys were trying to break into a vehicle in a parking lot.
The boys fled as police arrived, but were taken into custody a short time later, with officers finding a Hyundai with a broken window and damage to its ignition system.
The next morning police were called back to the same parking lot, where they found another Hyundai with a damaged window and steering column.
Officers determined that the boys arrested the night before had attempted to steal this Hyundai as well. The boys are facing a series of charges including attempted motor vehicle theft, tampering with a motor vehicle, and felony property damage.
Last week, authorities in St. Cloud said it had seen a growing pattern of thefts targeting Kia and Hyundai models, mirroring a trend seen in the Twin Cities and major U.S. cities a few years ago, after viral videos shared on TikTok and other social media platforms identified security flaws with certain models that allowed them to be started without a key.
In a press release, St. Cloud PD the suspects in the cases are primarily "juvenile males, and investigations indicate that the activity is widespread, affecting neighborhoods throughout the city."
"The purpose of these thefts appears to be joy riding as there is no evidence that the vehicles are being stolen for monetary gain," it added.
