Almost a dozen teens, 13 to 17, accused of nearly 50 car thefts and theft attempts in Green Bay

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - The Green Bay Police Department says it’s referring almost a dozen teenagers, 13 to 17 years old, for a series of car thefts in the city since January 15.

The police department says it’s investigated almost 50 cases of vehicles that were stolen or had windows broken and steering columns smashed. Most of the vehicles were Hyundai or Kia brand, which are known for lacking anti-theft software.

Green Bay police believe the local car thefts were inspired by a viral video by a group calling themselves the “Kia Boys” exploiting that security hole. Police are urging owners to contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151 or Kia at 1-800-333-4542 to get software updates.

Police credit people in the community for reporting tips on the car thefts or providing home security videos for their investigation.

The investigation is still ongoing, so police are limiting how much information they make public. Police are asking people to take proper precautions to deter auto theft and report when they see anything suspicious.

• Park in a garage, if you can, or in a well-lit area
• Lock your vehicle and take your keys with you
• Don’t leave valuables inside your vehicle. If you must keep them in your car, make them less visible
• Purchase an anti-theft locking device

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