The following is an op-ed piece from Delegates Kathy Szeliga and Ryan Nawrocki.
We are among seven prominent Republican legislators issuing a letter to Mayor Scott and Commissioner Harrison of Baltimore City in response to the recent lawsuit against Hyundai and Kia due to their vehicles’ alleged susceptibility to theft. We urge Baltimore City to do more than join the lawsuit against car manufacturers.
According to crime statistics, Baltimore is one of the most dangerous cities in the country. However, in their recent move to sue Hyundai/Kia, they blame auto manufacturers for car thefts. While Hyundai/Kia cars have been the target of theft due to a recent social media video, 59% of cars stolen are not those brands. Based on the police crime data, we suggest a plan focusing on the root cause of crime rather than blaming car manufacturers.
Suppose the City is going to hold car manufacturers responsible for car thefts. In that case, it must also send a clear message that Baltimore City will not tolerate carjackings or auto theft and that those who commit these crimes will be held accountable.
According to data from the Baltimore Police Department, there have been 2,200 auto thefts and 159 carjackings in the 4½ months of this year. Last year, there were 2,473 auto thefts, but only 397 arrests were made, and only seven led to a guilty prosecution.
Auto theft is a serious crime. First, the victim feels violated, is inconvenienced without a vehicle, and has to sort through insurance issues. At the same time, they wait for their car to be found (if it is ever located). Then, to put salt into the wound, the E-ZPass, toll violations, and speed camera tickets may show up from the stolen license plates installed on another car.
Many friends and family members have expressed concerns about going to Baltimore City because of crime, squeegee kids, carjackings, and auto thefts. As a result, some people will not visit the City any longer. The City is losing its population. This is a shame. Baltimore City must get a handle on crime to keep our once-great City alive and enable the residents and economy to thrive. We still await a response from the Mayor’s Office in regard to our concerns.
Shortly after we sent our letter, Hynudai/Kia reached a $200 million settlement that gives car owners some help in protecting their cars against thieves.
After sending that letter, we were horrified to read that there’s a 542% increase in juvenile car thefts in Baltimore County so far this year. County police said social media touting the catch-and-release approach in the juvenile justice system is driving the increase.
Police have said that youths prefer to steal a car over carjacking one because there is little to no consequence. Some of the thieves are as young as 12 years old, and authorities said the reason is not just for joyriding but to commit more serious crimes.
Police said the juvenile offenders are being released faster than officers can complete the crime paperwork.
In 2022, the liberal leadership in Annapolis passed a law that protects juvenile criminals 12 and under from ANY consequence! It’s no wonder that 12-year-olds are now drug mules, gun toters for gangs, car thieves, and criminals. And the penalties for older juveniles are meaningless.
We introduced legislation to protect victims of crime and hold juveniles accountable but it fell on deaf ears.
We have a serious juvenile crime crisis in Maryland. We urge you to keep your cars locked up and activate any anti-theft devices or technology you have. It won’t get any better until kids know that crime does not pay.
We go back to Annapolis in January and we will keep asking those with the power to affect change – How many more victims of crime must suffer before criminals will be held responsible for their actions and know they must stop committing crime or they will do the time?
