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New task force puts the brakes on car theft.
Gone in 60 Seconds: It’s not just a famous heist flick, it’s a reality playing out on Raleigh streets—and nationwide. And it’s precisely what the Raleigh Police Department Auto Theft Task Force is designed to solve.
By the Numbers: Cars Stolen
| 2021 | Up 10.2% | 1,130 |
| 2022 | Up 13.4% | 1,281 |
| 2023 | Up 57.8% | 2,022 |
| 2024 | Up 20.7% | 2,440 |
| 2025 (Jan./Feb.) | 362 |
Mobilized in June, the task force has already seen measured success—so much that the new police chief plans to make the team permanent, says Lieutenant JC Black, who heads up the special unit. “Chief [Rico] Boyce has had a hand in the creation of this team from the very start,” Black tells Raleigh Mag in a sit-down interview. “He was our operations deputy chief when we discussed implementing this team and has been extremely supportive.”
An epidemic spurred by the viral TikTok Kia Boyz challenge showing how to swipe Kias and Hyundais with a USB cord, carjackers run the gamut from joyriding juveniles to organized crime rings employing 007-worthy tech like key programmers. “When we started heavily focusing on the Kia Boyz challenge, that opened this whole world of organized car theft groups to our department—and departments around the country as well,” shares Black.
And if it’s got wheels, it’s fair game. While Infinitis, BMWs and Mercedes are among the makes getting hit locally, Hyundai, Kia and Dodge top the target list. Fast-track felons move from dealerships to driveways, including a recent crime ring spree at dealerships swiping Dodge Chargers, Challengers and high-end Jeeps; and a masked summer parking deck heist at Midtown’s luxe apartment tower The Eastern.
Once snatched, gearshift grifters clone the cars and hock them on Facebook Marketplace and the like for a quick and easy buck. “It’s a lucrative business for them,” notes Black. “They turned to this type of criminal activity because the punishment is less severe. You’re not dealing with a rival drug dealer who might potentially kick down your door.”
Further fueling incentive, the National Insurance Crime Bureau estimates every crime has an 80% vehicle nexus, says Black. “Someone has to drive to the scene. We’ve identified stolen Hyundais and Kias utilized in violent crime—shots fired into occupied homes and several incidents where individuals were shot. We know by targeting these, we’re going to have an overall impact on violent crime in the city.”
Beyond your casual joyride, there’s a handful of lucrative tactics employed to strip, smuggle or scrub the cars to make bank.
Title Washing Tactics
From Bond-like techniques to brainiacs, auto bandits can be very sophisticated, says Black. One such trick, title washing is employed to erase a car’s stolen past. By swapping VINs and registering vehicles in multiple states, they create a paper trail that hides its true identity, culminating in a clean title for an unsuspecting buyer. As state title laws vary, tracking these scams can be difficult, says Black. “We’re recovering cars from all over the place: Indiana, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida. We recovered a $187K Lamborghini Urus stolen out of Texas registered to somebody here.” Cars jacked here that aren’t recovered in the first few days likewise turn up in places like Charlotte, Virginia, Georgia and Florida. “This is something that is certainly connected throughout the U.S. with some of these organized core theft groups. It’s wild.”
Smuggled & Shipped
From driveways to docks, U.S. ports are pipelines for stolen cars shipped overseas for big bucks, says Black. Packed into containerships, these hot wheels are funneled to West Africa—usually Ghana—where their price tags multiply fourfold, fueling a lucrative black market.
Chop Shop Sting
Turning stolen cars into untraceable parts, chop shops are still a thing, but RPD is cracking down and making it harder for thieves to cash in by working closely with the NCDMV License & Theft Bureau to track, raid and dismantle illegal operations.
Ultimately, no matter the payoff, it’s a high-stakes chess match. “We were very quiet about our organized car theft group investigations early on because we really wanted to target them and get them off the street,” says Black. “But with everything we do, information ends up in search warrants and police reports, and when those investigative techniques get out, they try and get one step ahead of us—think theft methods, technology, etc. It’s certainly a game of cat and mouse.” But no matter how fast they pivot—RPD’s working to stay ahead of the curve.
Don’t be a Target
If it all feels a little Fast & Furious, here’s how to stave off the steal.
- Track it: Install LoJack or hide Apple AirTag or similar device with disabled speaker to prevent detection and enable recovery
- Power off: Unattended idle cars are theft magnets—and against the law.
- 9pm routine: Exterior home lights on and security cameras recording, valuable/firearms removed, vehicle locked, doors and windows shut, check for/report suspicious activity
- Don’t arm thieves: Cars with guns are targets.
- Update software: Prevent “Kia Boyz” theft methods with dealership software updates to Kias and Hyundais.
- Remove parts: Remove start relay or fuel pump fuse to secure Dodges and Jeeps.
- Lock steering: RPD provides free locks for Kia and Hyundai owners.
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