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Yes.
Minneapolis police have recorded 4,328 motor vehicle thefts as of June 25, 2023, compared to 2,388 by this time in 2022. Such thefts averaged 2,052 per year by this date over the past three years.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara told WCCO radio in April that 9 of 10 auto thefts in the state were Kia’s and Hyundai’s and that a small group of repeat offenders was to blame. A Minneapolis Police Department spokesperson pointed to a “strong correlation” between the release of a TikTok video demonstrating how to steal these vehicles and the subsequent uptick in these thefts across the country. As of May 1, the top ten offenders averaged 15-years-old and were responsible for 86 vehicle thefts.
Similar trends occurred in many major U.S. cities, Axios reported.
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Sources:
- City of Minneapolis Minneapolis Crime Dashboard | Motor Vehicle Theft
- Audacy Chief O’Hara WCCO Interview
- KARE 11 Chief O’Hara KARE11 Interview
- MinnPost MPD June 21 Inquiry (edited).pdf
- Axios TikTok and car thefts: What’s behind the nationwide rise
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