YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown Police Department is investigating the possibility the same group of individuals is responsible for thefts of four Kia and Hyundai automobiles in recent days.

The department had reports of a blue 2016 Hyundai theft at 5:22 a.m. Tuesday from an apartment in the 500 block of Griffith Street on the North Side; the theft of a Kia at 11:39 a.m. Tuesday from the 100 block of North Bon Air Avenue on the West Side; the theft of a Kia at 7:08 a.m. Monday from the 500 block of Granada Avenue on the North Side; and the theft of a Hyundai at 11:12 a.m. Saturday from the 800 block of East Midlothian Boulevard on the South Side.

Capt. Jason Simon of the detective division said the department is “exploring the possibility that it is the same group of individuals; however, we cannot confirm that at this time.”

According to reports:

• The Griffith Street victim said the back window glass appeared to be broken to get inside the vehicle, which was in the parking lot. The owner thinks it was stolen between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.

Another person at the same location said it appeared someone tried, but failed to steal her 2018 Kia Sorento, which was broken into and had the steering column damaged. The owner said she locked the vehicle, but there were no signs of forced entry.

• At North Bon Air Avenue, the victim stated her brown 2016 Kia Soul was stolen from the street in front of her house between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. Officers did not find any broken glass. The owner said she may have left it unlocked.

• On Granada Avenue, the victim said her maroon 2018 Kia Sorento was stolen from under the car port. Surveillance video showed a blue Hyundai Sonata pull up next to this Kia. A younger male got out and approached the car. Officers think the Sonata also was stolen from in the city.

After the male got out of the blue Sonata, he broke out the rear window then got back in the blue Sonata. Another male got out of the blue Sonata and stole the Kia Sorento. Four suspects were involved, the report states.

• The victim on Midlothian told police his blue 2011 Hyundai Sonata was stolen between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Friday. A witness said she saw the vehicle in the parking lot of the Subway restaurant nearby at 7:30 a.m. with a broken rear window and the steering column “peeled.”

This victim’s landlord said he had gotten calls late the night before about people with masks seen trying to take the vehicle, but no call to police took place, according to the report.

When the owner returned to the car later, it was gone. The victim later found the stolen car on the side of a road with the steering column damaged, and there was minor damage to the bumper and broken out rear window.

INSURANCE CLAIMS

The Highway Loss Data Institute, a nonprofit research organization that publishes insurance loss statistics on most car, SUV, pickup truck and motorcycle models on U.S. and Canadian roads, stated that 2021 insurance claims showed Kia and Hyundai cars rivaled muscle cars and luxury SUVs as top targets for theft.

Among 2015-19 model-year vehicles, theft claims were nearly twice as common for Hyundai and Kia vehicles as a group as for all other manufacturers.

Many 2015-19 Hyundai and Kia vehicles lack electronic immobilizers that prevent thieves from simply breaking in and bypassing the ignition. The feature is standard equipment on nearly all vehicles of that vintage made by other manufacturers, the report states.