Pittsburgh Police’s Auto Squad is “on pace” to have a record year of stolen vehicles, according to a Public Safety spokesperson.
Just over the weekend, two vehicles were stolen out of zone 6, and five were snatched from zone 3.
Three of the thefts from zone 3 occurred in Carrick, where neighbors told Channel 11 they are growing increasingly concerned and frustrated.
Father Jay Geisler, who serves as a Chaplain for Pittsburgh Police, told us he has fallen victim twice in recent weeks.
“It’s a real issue and it makes you feel vulnerable,” Geisler told us. “Maybe we’ll organize a block watch, we certainly feel powerless and the nice thing about feeling powerless is, it makes you ask for help, we’re asking for help from the city and the neighbors so we can stop this together.”
Several of the vehicles stolen from the neighborhood have been Hyundai or Kia models, which have a security flaw Channel 11 has reported on for more than a year now https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/tens-thousands-cars-with-major-security-flaw-still-pittsburgh-roads/KKOAJN67QVGDNJY7PKOVRB2ZXI/ . Manufacturers have offered security fixes, and police urge drivers to take advantage of them.