Oxford sees an uptick in car thefts in November
An increase in attempted car thefts in Oxford coincided with a national wave of thefts targeting specific car models.
The Oxford Police Department responded to seven incidents of motor vehicle theft between Nov. 4 and 11. The increased thefts coincide with a national wave targeting Hyundai and Kia car models manufactured between 2011 and 2022.
On Nov. 10, the department posted on Facebook warning residents about the uptick in thefts and suggesting that Kia and Hyundai owners put a steering lock on their cars to prevent theft. The police said the thieves were getting into unlocked cars and breaking windows of locked cars.
On Nov. 4 at 11:38 p.m., officers responded to an attempted car theft on Brown Road. The material covering the steering column of the student's Kia Soul had been removed and tampered with.
On Nov. 6 at 9:30 a.m., officers responded to another incident at the same apartment complex. The victim said she drove her Kia Forte the prior evening and found the passenger side rear window broken out the next morning. It appears the suspect attempted to use two screwdrivers to steal the vehicle.
On Nov. 7 at 12:55 a.m., officers responded to a report of a stolen vehicle near Kofenya. An employee at a local restaurant was leaving work when he discovered that his vehicle was missing.
Later at 7:58 a.m. and 11:14 a.m., officers responded to four attempted motor vehicle thefts at the Miami Commons. One of the vehicles had its window broken out while the others had damage to the steering columns. One of the victims had left her wallet under the seat and found her ID and credit and debit cards missing.
On Nov. 9 at 6:42 a.m., officers responded to a reported vehicle theft at 716 S College Ave. The officers found one of the rear windows had been shattered and multiple damage in the interior.
Later that day at 10:10 a.m., officers responded to another instance of attempted vehicle theft at 311 Thatcher Loop. The car suffered similar damage to the earlier incident, with the rear window shattered and vandalism of interior components.
No car thefts or attempted car thefts were reported between Nov. 12 and 18.
