Two people under the age of 18 arrested for stealing Hyundai, police say

SALT LAKE CITY — Police say they arrested two people under the age of 18 on Friday in connection with the investigation of Kia and Hyundai vehicle thefts in the Rose Park neighborhood.

“As of Friday, January 10, 2025, the [Salt Lake City Police Department’s] Crime Intel and Analysis Unit has identified nearly 50 incidents of thefts and attempted thefts occurring throughout the city,” A SLCPD news release said.

Due to the high amount of cars stolen in the area, SLCPD said it began intensively looking for the people stealing the vehicles.

On Friday, the news release stated officers were patrolling near 1700 W 400 N in connection to the stolen vehicles when one officer spotted something suspicious.

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“[The officer spotted] a silver Hyundai with two people inside but [the officer] lost sight of it before additional officers could arrive to conduct a traffic stop,” the press release stated. “The car came back as recently stolen.”

A hit a run was later reported a few minutes later near 1780 W 400 N, according to police. That’s when SLCPD said officers were able to “flood the area” and arrest two people who matched the description of the two seen in the stolen silver Hyundai, as well as evidence linking them to the car.

“Officers believe the driver lost control of the car and crash, causing non-life-threatening injuries,” the news release said. “As officers processed the scene, they learned the identity of the two suspects and that both were being sought by detectives.”

SLCPD also stated the people who stole the vehicles would smash the car windows, damage the steering columns and the ignition, or would steal “cars with the key fob left inside.” Officers added that the cars were usually stolen or attempted to be stolen around the hours of 4 a.m. and 7 a.m.

Police said the CIAU noticed the increase of Kia and Hyundai cars being stolen on Dec. 6, 2024.

“This case highlights the dedication and hard work of our entire police department,” Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown said in the news release. “When people in our community cause harm and put others at risk, we will use every resource available to arrest them. These suspects have likely caused tens of thousands of dollars in damages and endangered countless lives by stealing vehicles and driving dangerously through our streets. Our officers and detectives deserve recognition for their efforts. While this is a significant achievement, there are still likely other suspects out there, and our work isn’t over.”

Police are asking those with information about this case to call 801-799-3000.

Kennedy Camarena is a digital content producer for KSL NewsRadio.