California Attorney General Blames Automakers for Car Theft Spike
21st March 2023
California attorney general Rob Bonta (D.) is blaming car manufacturers for the spike in car thefts that has occurred on his watch.
In a letter to Hyundai and Kia, Bonta and 22 other attorneys general on Monday claimed the carmakers helped fuel a national car theft epidemic by not installing engine immobilizers to certain vehicle models. The letter notes that over the past two years, carjacking teens launched viral TikTok tutorials on how to override certain Kia and Hyundai security devices.
But Bonta has done little to offset his state’s rise in car thefts. The attorney general boasted in 2022 that while homicides, property crime, and violent crime went up during his first year on the job, arrest rates and probation levels declined. Since taking office in 2021, Bonta has focused his efforts on investigating police and suing cities over their zoning policies as car thefts and violent crime mount. As a state legislator, Bonta helped secure softer sentencing laws and reduced jail time for felons.