Thieves smashed the windows of five Kia and Hyundai vehicles at a Ballwin apartment complex Monday, Oct. 5, stealing one.

The break-ins at the Retreat at Seven Trails Apartments happened around 4 a.m. Only one vehicle, a Hyundai Elantra, was driven off. It was later recovered in the Hazelwood and Florissant area, as first reported by KMOV4. The incident adds to a pattern of targeted thefts that police say is returning to west St. Louis County.

The Ballwin break-ins are the latest in a string of thefts hitting apartment complexes in the region. On Sept. 21, a Hyundai Sonata was stolen from a complex in Valley Park. St. Louis County police have confirmed a spike in such thefts across west St. Louis County, and Ballwin detectives are checking with Manchester and University City police to determine whether the same suspects are responsible.

Certain Hyundai and Kia models lack a standard engine immobilizer, an electronic device that prevents a car from starting without a matched key. Thieves pop the steering column and use a USB cable to start the engine. The technique spread widely on social media around 2023, and thefts of those models surged nationwide.

Ballwin Police Officer Shannon Jones said the department is seeing a trend at apartment complexes. "We're seeing a trend, especially in apartment complexes," Jones told KMOV4. Suspects are smashing windows, breaking open steering columns and attempting to hotwire vehicles with USB cables, she said.

One family's $5,000 in repairs

The Valley Park theft hit Norm Yates' family especially hard. His daughter's Hyundai Sonata has been targeted at least 10 times and stolen five times, he told KMOV4. Repair bills have reached about $5,000.

"We need to get rid of the car but the car has really no value," Yates said. "People know this car is a target, nobody wants to buy it."

Retreat at Seven Trails resident Mo Nadres said a similar wave struck the complex about three years ago, with roughly 20 cars broken into at that time.

A broader regional pattern

The west St. Louis County thefts are not isolated. In a July 13 post on X, St. Louis County Police said detectives were seeking help identifying three or more suspects in vehicle thefts and burglaries on June 25 in the Central County Precinct. A red Kia Sportage was stolen from the 11700 block of Casa Grande Drive and later recovered in north St. Louis County, burned.

Automakers responded to the original theft wave with software updates, steering wheel locks and steering column reinforcements. But a multistate settlement announced in December 2025 by 36 state attorneys general alleged that Hyundai and Kia waited until 2023 to offer software fixes and that the updates could be easily bypassed. Under that settlement, both companies agreed to provide free zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protectors to owners of eligible vehicles and up to $4.5 million in restitution nationwide.

Missouri was not listed among the 36 signatory states. Local owners may still be eligible for the free hardware fix at dealerships and for a separate class-action settlement covering the same vehicles.

Eligible models include the Hyundai Elantra (2011–2022) and Hyundai Sonata (2011–2019), among others. Owners can have the free zinc sleeve installed at any authorized dealership. Those who experienced a qualifying theft on or after April 29, 2025, may file a claim for up to $4,500 for a total loss or $2,250 for partial loss. The claim deadline is March 31, 2027.

The class-action settlement faces further delay after an objector appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court in May 2026. The court is expected to decide whether to hear the appeal in October 2026, according to the plaintiffs' law firm Hagens Berman.

What police recommend

Ballwin police urge Kia and Hyundai owners to park inside a garage or under lighting, use a steering wheel lock overnight and check with their dealership about anti-theft update status. Anyone who witnesses suspicious activity should contact law enforcement.

The Ballwin Police Department's non-emergency line is (636) 227-9636.