This is no game.
Grand Theft Auto is one of the most popular video games of all time, but out on the streets, stolen cars are serious business.
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More than 1 million vehicles were stolen in the United States last year, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, up 7% from 2021.
Law enforcement agencies have complained that a social media trend is part of the problem, referring to a TikTok challenge showing users how to hotwire cars.
Hyundai (HYMLF) and Kia cars have been proven more vulnerable to theft, a fact that New York Mayor Eric Adams referred to during an April 30 press conference about the city's efforts to combat car theft.
Grand larceny auto, or vehicle theft, is up 13% in the Big Apple from a year ago, with nearly 4,500 vehicles reported stolen.
The Bronx, where Adams held his press conference, saw the biggest increase, with auto theft's jumping 24% from this time last year.
'Excellent Tracking Device'
In an effort to combat car theft, Adams and law enforcement officials asked residents to place Apple (AAPL) AirTags in the vehicles.
The AirTag, which is roughly the size of a quarter and sells for $29, is intended to help people keep track of keys, backpacks, luggage and other items. Users are able to monitor the location of their belongings through the “Find My” app on their iPhones.
"It's very simple," Adams said. "The charging life lasts a long time and you can see in real time where that vehicle is located."
A nonprofit group, the Association for a Better New York, is donating 500 AirTags that will be given out for free citywide.
NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said that installing AirTags into cars might act as a deterrent to auto thieves and also allow police to be more strategic with pursuits "keeping us safe and keeping the community safe."
Last month, Adams said the city would join an ongoing national litigation against Kia and Hyundai aimed at holding the two companies accountable "for refusing to equip certain models of both cars with standard anti-theft measures following an uptick in car thefts."
The city said that the lack of sufficient anti-theft devices in Kia and Hyundai vehicles sparked an 890% increase in Kia thefts at the end of last year and a 766% increase in Hyundai thefts in the preceding months.
AirTag Controversy
While Adams referred to the Apple AirTag as "an excellent tracking device," legal experts have raised concerns about their misuse.
In March, a suspected car thief was shot to death in San Antonio, Texas, after the owner of the vehicle used an Apple AirTag to track his stolen pickup truck.
After contacting the police, the vehicle’s owner found and approached the suspected truck thief, who allegedly pulled a gun and was shot in the head by the owner.
A class action lawsuit filed in December described the AirTag as “the weapon of choice of stalkers and abusers.”
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in San Francisco, claimed that “at least two reported murders have occurred in which the murderer used an AirTag to track the victim.”
In March, Ontario Provincial Police warned vehicle owners that thieves were using AirTags to identify expensive cars, track them to their home address and then steal them, according to Global News.
Apple said last year that it has been "actively working with law enforcement on all AirTag-related requests we’ve received."
"Based on our knowledge and on discussions with law enforcement, incidents of AirTag misuse are rare; however, each instance is one too many.”
The mayor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
