Police said it is too early to tell if these crimes are connected. However, both cars stolen from outside the Ronald McDonald House are Kias, a popular make among thieves.
The cars were also recovered by police in a similar location.
A theft report that feels like déjà vu. Just like the first victim, Denise Johnson woke up and found an empty parking spot.
“I went out to clean my car out, actually, and it was gone, and for a second, I thought maybe I was losing my mind,” said Johnson.
Her son Ethan has battled leukemia on and off since he was 5 years old. Ethan is now 10 and has been in the hospital for over a month.
People staying at the Ronald McDonald House are there because they have sick children. Denise couldn’t understand why someone would cause additional pain to families.
“I feel like that’s a terrible thing to do. I feel really terrible for the other family that had to deal with that. It’s just awful, I mean, it feels very violating in a way,” said Johnson.
Tami Greenberg, the CEO of Ronald McDonald House Kansas City, believes they are now part of a trend of Kia thefts.
“These two vehicle thefts that happened in the last week were both the same brand of car, and as I understand it, there’s this whole thing going around on social media on how to make it easy to steal this type of car,” said Greenberg.
The nonprofit has changed its nightly security to make certain this does not happen again.
“More assurance that our families’ cars are being watched over while they sleep because when they wake up, they go back up to Children’s Mercy Hospital to be with their children who are sick,” said Greenberg.
The Kansas City Missouri Police Department said both cases are still open, and no arrests have been made.
Johnson’s car was found by police, and she was told it was undesirable.
If you have a Kia, the company has introduced a new theft deterrent device. Kia’s owners can get a free upgrade until Aug. 1 of this year. They can contact their local dealership for more information.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0