CLEVELAND, Ohio – The era of the Kia Boyz appears to be coming to an end in Cleveland.
Car thefts have significantly declined through the first five months of the year compared to the same time in previous years, according to data from the Cleveland Division of Police.
The data shows that there were 1,432 car thefts across the city since January, the lowest point in five years for that time period. The number marks a 47% drop from 2023, when thieves made off with 2,703 cars in that span.
The number of car thefts skyrocketed as videos surfaced on the internet showing thieves how to break in and steal Kias and Hyundais. The thieves took the name “the Kia Boyz.”
The heists here were part of a national problem, with several cities, including Cleveland and Parma, suing the automakers in federal court.
The lawsuits alleged that the companies produced vehicles with poor anti-theft devices that enabled thieves to terrorize motorists and force police to spend countless hours tracking stolen vehicles.
The cases were consolidated before a judge in California, where the litigation is pending.
The thefts have slowed since the carmakers have offered anti-theft software installations at no price to drivers.
Ward 1 Councilman Joseph Jones represents Lee-Harvard, Union-Miles and other East Side neighborhoods. He said more officers on city streets will help residents.
“If we get an increase of police visibility in our neighborhoods and our communities, it will further push down (youth) crime,” Jones said, adding that many of the people who commit crimes in Cleveland do not live in the city.
From Jan. 1 to June 4, the lowest number of car thefts in the city came in 2020, at the start of the pandemic, when thieves stole 1,201.
Numbers rose to 1,448 during the same time in 2021. Last year, car thefts reached 2,024 within the first five months of the year.
In 2023, 5,576 cars were taken through the course of the year. Each month since the end of that year, the numbers have steadily fallen. The city ended last year with 4,451 car thefts, a drop of 20%.
Jones believes that a greater police presence means that crimes will continue to drop.
“We would like to see more police in the area, but we also understand that they’re trying to deal with some really harsh crimes,” Jones said.
Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer reached out to police for comments.
