Police arrested seven kids following a car chase involving an allegedly stolen Kia in Jacksonville, Florida, according to a local report.
A red 2019 Kia was stolen from a Westside home Aug. 2 and later abandoned near a New Town gas station after catching on fire following a police pursuit, News 4 Jax reported, citing the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO). Police told the car owner that a group of kids ranging in age from nine to 14 years old had stolen her now-destroyed car.
The 14-year-old driver was arrested and faces multiple charges, including carrying a concealed firearm and aggravated fleeing, the outlet reported. (RELATED: Police Arrest Juvenile Suspect In Murder Of 10-Year-Old Girl Found Dead In Woods)
Officers charged the other minors with trespassing and resisting without violence, according to News 4 Jax. One person in the group was taken to the hospital with mild injuries.
A 2019 Kia sedan that was stolen from a Westside home ended up on fire in a ditch next to a New Town gas station on Wednesday following a suspect chase involving the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. https://t.co/afvuKa2W4U
— News4JAX (@wjxt4) August 3, 2023
Several cars had recently been stolen in the area and Kia and Hyundai manufactured half of them, according to News 4 Jax. The two auto manufacturers sent a letter of concern to owners, saying their cars are at risk if they own a model that starts with a key ignition, not a push button.
Kia and Hyundai are both offering a software update to prevent the car from initiating if stolen.