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BALLWIN, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Police say thieves are once again targeting older model Kia and Hyundai vehicles in west St. Louis County, a trend similar to a spike in auto thefts four years ago.

Thieves targeted those vehicles at the Retreat at Seven Trails Apartments in Ballwin early Monday morning around 4 a.m. The windows on five cars were broken out, but only one car was stolen, a Hyundai Elantra. That car was later recovered in the Hazelwood and Florissant area.

Other incidents in the area

Ballwin is the latest place where thieves have targeted Hyundai and Kia vehicles. On September 21, a Hyundai Sonata was stolen from an apartment complex in Valley Park. It was not the first time the vehicle was stolen.

The vehicle belongs to Norm Yates' daughter. Yates said,  It's been targeted at least ten times and actually stolen five times. It's beyond frustrating. 

Yates said the vehicle keeps getting stolen and recovered, and the repair bills are adding up.  About $5,000 so far,  he said.

Yates said he thinks thieves have continued to target Hyundai and Kia vehicles because certain models are easy to steal and hard to sell.  We need to get rid of the car but the car has really no value. People know this car is a target, nobody wants to buy it,  he said.

Police describe a trend

Ballwin Police Officer Shannon Jones said,  We're seeing a trend, especially in apartment complexes. 

Jones also said,  We had Hyundais and Kias that were broken into. The windows were smashed and the steering columns were popped out in an attempt to hotwire a vehicle with a USB. 

Three years ago, thieves discovered certain models of Hyundais and Kias could be hotwired with a USB cable because they lacked an ignition immobilizer. The electronic device prevents a car from starting without a key that has a computer chip in it. As word spread on social media, thefts skyrocketed.

Automakers offered software updates, steering wheel locks and steering column reinforcements. Police say these thefts are back again.

Residents react

Michon Watson lives at the Ret

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