Owner tracks down car allegedly stolen by 15-year-old in Capitol Hill
Jan 23, 2024, 8:03 PM
Exterior of a Hyundai (Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
The Seattle Police Department (SPD) arrested a 15-year-old over the weekend for possession of a stolen vehicle after the suspect was confronted by the car’s owner.
According to SPD, the 15-year-old boy, whose name is being withheld because he is a minor, was behind the wheel of a stolen Hyundai Sunday evening when he was confronted by the car’s owner near the intersection of 15th Avenue South and South Lander Street in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. The suspect attempted to drive away but crashed into another vehicle.
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The owner of the car then got into a fight with a passenger in the car while the driver ran away from the scene. The 15-year-old subsequently jumped on a Metro bus, but was arrested a short time later.
“Officers were able to contact the bus at the bus stop and took the suspect into custody as he exited the bus,” Officer Shawn Weismiller told KIRO Newsradio.
SPD offers advice on confronting suspects
Despite the altercation with the passenger, the owner of the vehicle escaped unharmed. But Seattle police stress it is never a good idea to confront a criminal suspect.
“Anytime there is a criminal element involved, we always advise to wait for police before you engage with anyone who is in or near your stolen vehicle,” Weismiller said.
More from James Lynch: One of the supposed ‘Kia Boys’ charged with multiple felonies
The theft rate of certain Kia and Hyundai car models has increased by 1,000% between 2020 and 2023, according to a CNN report based on data from the Highway Loss Data Institute.
Thieves have been able to steal these cars by opening the steering column and inserting a USB cable to start the car like a key. The trend went viral on social media as popular TikTok videos by “Kia Boyz” demonstrated how certain Kias and Hyundais could be stolen in about 30 seconds.
Both Hyundai and Kia have since issued voluntary recalls of affected vehicles in 2023 so owners could receive a free anti-theft software upgrade.
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