With car theft becoming increasingly more common throughout the metro and the state, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara says he thinks the juvenile justice system should carry some of the blame, along with car manufacturers.
O’Hara joined News Talk 830 WCCO’s Chad Hartman to discuss the recent uptick in car theft and what he thinks will help prevent it going forward.
As of last week, Minneapolis police records show there have been 2,725 auto thefts this year, compared to 1,306 last year at this time.
O’Hara says the issue is statewide, but more importantly, it’s happening exponentially more with two car brands.
“If you looked at the top ten makes and models of cars stolen in the state of Minnesota this year, 9 out of 10 are all Kia’s and Hyundai’s, and that’s not the case a couple years ago,” O’Hara said.
O’Hara acknowledged what Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison have all discussed when it comes to the issues surrounding the two car brands.
“The increase in auto theft, entirely, is a problem around the theft of two specific makes of vehicles, these Kia’s and Hyundai’s,” O’Hara said.
Several states have filed lawsuits against both automakers, alleging they neglected to provide their vehicles with anti-theft technology.
But while the cases continue, O’Hara says that law enforcement and the juvenile justice system need to step up in helping reduce the number of stolen vehicles.
The majority of those taking advantage of the easy-to-steal vehicles are juveniles, as social media trends from last summer sparked the fire under the recent boom in auto theft. Now, O’Hara says everyone needs to step up.
“It is a problem that needs to be attacked from every angle possible. I know a lot of times people look at it as if it’s just the problem of just the police to deal with. That is not true,” O’Hara said.
O’Hara says there are several gaps when it comes to addressing this issue systematically, something that has left him and many others frustrated.
“The entire juvenile justice system. The entire criminal justice system, as a whole, is completely failing these kids,” O’Hara said. “In particular, those who are involved in joyriding in these stolen cars, and everyone else in society, who is at risk because of their behavior.”
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