Prince William Co. Police hold second free steering wheel lock event for Hyundai drivers

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. — Attention Hyundai owners in Prince William County: The police department will be giving away free steering wheel locks to residents at three different district stations on March 15.

According to a tweet from the Prince William County Police Department (PWCPD), the free steering wheel locks will be handed on to residents who own or lease Hyundai vehicles without push-button ignitions.

Police decided to host a second event after the first giveaway saw great success.

This comes amid an uptick in Hyundai and Kia vehicle thefts across the DMV. Police have attributed many of thefts to a TikTok social media challenge, which included videos that appeared online showing people how to steal cars from those manufacturers using USB charging cords. The videos have prompted the two car manufacturers to release an anti-theft software update.

The event will be held from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. at the following district stations:

Owners will need to bring their registration, reflecting proof of ownership and residency in Prince William County to receive a free steering wheel.

Police are limiting one lock per vehicle.

How to get the free update:

Kia and Hyundai owners who are interested in getting the updated software for free will need to contact Hyundai toll-free at 800-633-5151 or Kia toll-free at 800-333-4542. 

In addition to the free software, customers will be given a sticker alerting would-be thieves that the vehicle is equipped with anti-theft protection. The stickers will be sent out as the software updates are rolled out.

Both companies have worked with law enforcement agencies to provide more than 26,000 steering wheel locks since Nov. 22 to 77 law enforcement agencies across 12 states.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced on Tuesday that Hyundai and Kia have developed theft deterrent software for millions of their vehicles.