Minnesota AG Faults Carmakers For Thefts Instead Of Criminals

Authored by Luis Cornelio via Headline USA,

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison came under fire for blaming two car manufacturers for a surge in vehicle thefts across the state, with critics arguing the problem stemmed from lenient, soft-on-crime policies instead. 

The backlash followed Ellison’s framing of a multi-state settlement, in which he claimed Minnesota faced a “crisis,” describing it as a “public safety epidemic of vehicle thefts, financial harm to consumers, injury and tragically, even deaths.” 

On X, critics mocked Ellison’s remarks, particularly given his reputation as a soft-on-crime prosecutor and his alleged failure to crack down on one of the largest COVID-19 relief fraud schemes to date. 

“Minnesota AG Ellison blames car theft in his state on Kia and Hyundai being too easy to steal…” the X account End Wokeness wrote while sharing a clip of Ellison’s comments, which garnered nearly half a million views. 

National Review senior writer Dan McLaughlin responded, “My favorite anti-theft device is jail.” 

Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., added bluntly, “I’d blame the criminals.” 

National syndicated radio host Anthony Cumia echoed these sentiments, writing, “They will never take responsibility for their shit behavior.” 

I’d blame the criminals. https://t.co/ukwFTXZuJv

— Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) December 20, 2025

Ellison’s comments followed a settlement between Hyundai and Kia and a coalition of 35 states plus the District of Columbia, after Minnesota launched an investigation into the automakers’ weak anti-theft technology. 

The settlement includes up to $4.5 million in restitution for eligible consumers and an additional $4.5 million for states that investigated the thefts. 

The car theft trend went viral on social media after the so-called “Kia Boys” began posting videos purportedly showing how easily they stole certain Kia and Hyundai models. 

According to the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office, thefts involving Kia and Hyundai were linked to at least five homicides, 13 shootings and 36 robberies. 

“These are not just numbers; they represent a public safety crisis that has caused substantial and serious harm to the people of Minnesota,” the office said in a statement. 

Ellison claimed the thefts were the product of automakers failing to implement anti-theft technology that was made available in vehicles sold in Mexico and Canada. 

Several Republican attorneys general joined the lawsuit, including those of New Hampshire, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma and South Dakota.