The Lawrence Township Police Department and Hyundai Motor America are teaming up to offer free anti-theft software upgrades at a special event that aims to stop Hyundai vehicle thefts.
The event is set for this weekend, Aug. 23-25 in the Lawrence High School parking lot at 2525 Princeton Pike. It will be held from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 23-24, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 25. No appointment or registration is necessary.
Anyone in Lawrence Township and surrounding towns that owns or leases a 2011-2021 Hyundai vehicle with a mechanical turn-to-start key ignition is eligible for the free software upgrade. A free steering wheel lock also will be handed out.
The software upgrade, which will be installed by specially trained technicians, takes less than 30 minutes to be accomplished. An air-conditioned lounge and complimentary snacks and beverages will be available while people wait for the software to be installed.
Participants who get the software upgrade will be given a certificate to a complimentary car wash Aug. 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. by the Lawrence High School cheer squad.
Lawrence Township police officers will be on hand to meet and greet participants.
The number of Hyundai vehicle thefts began to spike in the summer of 2022 in response to videos posted by car thieves on TikTok and other social media channels in the “Kia Challenge,” according to www.hyundaiantitheft.com.
The videos documented and promoted a specific method to bypass the vehicles’ security features by dismantling steering columns, which creates direct access to the ignition. The videos challenged others to copycat their crimes.
The content was removed from TikTok and other social media channels, but the thieves have continued to post new “challenge” videos.
About four million Hyundai vehicles – mostly base trim or entry-level models – are susceptible to the thefts promoted by the videos. Those vehicles do not have push-button ignitions and immobilizing anti-theft devices.
In Lawrence Township, 22 thefts of Hyundai vehicles have been reported stolen to the Lawrence Township Police Department since 2022, Police Chief Christopher Longo said.
“It would be hard to say exactly how many Hyundai vehicles were stolen as a result of the software issue, but I am confident that a majority of thefts did occur because of it,” the chief said.
