DES MOINES, Iowa — The Des Moines Police Department is sharing ways the community can protect their vehicles amid increasing car thefts in the city.

Sergeant Paul Parizek with the Des Moines Police Department said one effective tool is a steering wheel lock. Hyundai Corporation has donated over 165,000 locks to over 1,200 law enforcement agencies.

DMPD received a limited amount and recently distributed around 50 locks to community members during the Downtown Farmers’ Market.

This comes as the department is warning about an increase in auto theft in Iowa’s capital city. Nationally, there is a decrease in this crime, but locally, that isn’t the case.

Parizek said the most concerning part of this increasing crime is that most of the thieves are teens, who are inexperienced drivers.

“We’ve had a case where the suspect was as young as 11 years old, and a lot of times they think it’s a game, but it’s not. When you look at the past few years, we’ve had several stolen cars that have crashed, and they’ve resulted in the deaths of about seven teenagers. And that’s a big number. And while these things are spread out, people tend to forget about those incidents. We don’t, and those families don’t. And we need to kind of curb this trend, or we’re going to see it happen more,” he said.

In May 2024, four teenagers died after crashing a stolen vehicle into a tree on Davis Avenue in Des Moines. This incident stands out to law enforcement because the tragic outcome could have been prevented.

According to DMPD, kids are learning how to steal cars through a social media trend, called “Kia Boys,” where they are learning how to start Kias and Hyundais without the key.

Des Moines Police say more than a quarter of the stolen cars so far in 2025 are Kias or Hyundais. That’s why steering wheel locks are recommended.

As seen above, drivers can place a lock on the steering wheel to prevent thieves from driving away with the vehicle.

Parizek said thieves are more likely to move on from a vehicle when they see a lock on the wheel.

Kia or Hyundai owners can also bring their vehicles to their dealer to fix the ignition’s vulnerability, so their vehicle is less likely to be stolen.

Those who steal a vehicle can legally face two charges, according to Parizek. The first is an aggravated misdemeanor for operating without the owner’s consent, and perpetrators can also be charged with theft in the second degree, which is a felony.

“Parents have to intervene. This isn’t something police can do. We can’t arrest away this problem. You can’t lock your car, hide your keys and it’s going to stop. Parents need to talk to their kids,” Parizek said.

Outside of the “Kia Boys” trend on social media, vehicles are also being stolen in Des Moines because keys are left inside. Des Moines Police are urging people to park in well-lit places at night, hide valuables from view, don’t leave your keys in your car or your car running unattended, and lock your car.