Hyundai, Kia Thefts: Oak Creek Police To Distribute Wheel Locks

OAK CREEK, WI — The Oak Creek Police Department plans on distributing steering wheel locks to the owners of certain Hyundai and Kia vehicles which have been the focus of a recent uptick of auto-theft in the city.

The agency announced in a Facebook post Thursday Hyundai has helped to provide wheel locks for models from 2016-2021. If you're wondering if you're eligible, take a look at your keys. The department says only models that use a physical "shake-style" key, pictured below, will be eligible for the steering wheel clubs.

People with a qualifying car model who live, work, or go to school in the city of Oak Creek are eligible for the steering wheel locks, police said.

An uptick in auto-thefts in Oak Creek began in July of 2021, police said. Since then, about one or two Kias and Hyundais have been reported stolen each month, making up about 20 percent of auto thefts in Oak Creek for 2020-2021.

Police said the thieves have been targeting Kia and Hyundai models that don't have an engine immobilizer. All new models are equipped with the device, so are all push-button models that use a proximity key.

Here's what a key looks like for models that don't have engine immobilizers:

To obtain one of the steering wheel locks, visit the Oak Creek Police Department at 301 West Ryan Road from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Proof of vehicle ownership will be required.