JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters announced the arrests of seven juveniles relating to a spree of car thefts on Hyundai and Kia vehicles during a press conference on Wednesday.
Waters says the oldest juvenile arrested is 15-years-old, while the youngest is 10-years-old. He says all of them are facing felony auto theft and robbery charges and are not gang-related.
The juveniles were arrested on Aug. 2 as Waters says the juveniles fled from police when officers approached a stolen red Kia Rio at an unknown date at an unknown time. The juveniles crashed into a retention ditch in front of a gas station in Jacksonville shortly after the pursuit, Waters mentioned in the press conference. He adds that all the juveniles inside the vehicle fled on-foot after crashing but were captured without further incident.
Waters says the younger juveniles were "groomed" by the oldest juvenile into learning how-to commit the crimes after they educated themselves on social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok. He also stated during the press conference, that the thefts took place across Jacksonville this summer and that the vehicles weren't stolen for profit, rather to "joyride and impress girls."
The sheriff says the car thefts "is reflective of a nationwide trend" and that last year, 198 Hyundai and Kia's were stolen. This year, 711 Hyundai and Kia's have been stolen so far, according to JSO.
Last Thursday, on Aug. 17, a federal judge declined to approve a proposed settlement in a class-action lawsuit prompted by a surge in Hyundai and Kia vehicle thefts, saying it fails to provide “fair and adequate” relief to vehicle owners. The proposed $200 million settlement would offer vehicle owners cash payments for theft-related damage and a voluntary recall to update theft-protection software. But, U.S. District Judge James Selna raised concerns about the process for calculating payments and the adequacy of the software update in preventing future thefts.
"If you own a Kia or a Hyundai, I urge you to reach out to your vehicle manufacturer to see if there is an available software upgrade to mitigate the risk of theft," Waters said during the press conference. "Likewise, owners of these vehicle brands may want to explore anti-theft immobilizers and some other tools to protect their property."
Waters says the State Attorney's Office will be further handling the juveniles' cases.