Riverdale teens caught breaking into Hyundai's with just a screwdriver
Police show the rig the teens used to steal and drive the cars. (Credit: Clayton County Police Department) (Supplied)
RIVERDALE, Ga. - Clayton County police put three teenagers into their custody Sunday morning. The trio was busted for breaking into cars throughout Riverdale, and they say to do it all they needed was a flathead screwdriver.
On Jan. 7 at 11:16 p.m., a couple of morning watch officers were sent to the 700 block of Summerchase Drive to investigate a stolen car. A resident who spoke with police said he witnessed two men stealing his neighbor's Hyundai Sonata.
Police surveyed the area and found a car that matched the description parked at a convenience store on the intersection of Flint River Road and Thomas Road. When they approached the vehicle, police said the men fled the area behind the wheel.
Nearly a mile away, officers found a car matching the description of the stolen vehicle crashed into a tree and abandoned. Except, it was not the same car.
It turns out that another vehicle of the same make and model had also been stolen in the area that night. A victim called in their car missing from the 700 block of Pointe South Parkway.
Around the same time, officers from the City of Riverdale found the original Hyundai Sonata also abandoned near the intersection of Willow Way and Willow Court.
The following morning around 3:30 a.m., police saw three men walking in the area of Dorsey Road and Flint River Road. One of them, according to police, was wearing a black ski mask. When the officers tried to approach them, all three ran. They were all caught and apprehended without incident.
Dawson Haynes, 17. (Credit: Clayton County Police Department) (Supplied)
Two of the suspects were only 16 years old, so police did not release their information. The third was identified as 17-year-old Dawson Haynes. They were carrying gloves and a flathead screwdriver with them.
A previous FOX 5 Atlanta report showed a trend of breaking into Kia's and Hyundai's among teenagers around the country. There are videos posted online showing how easy it is for newer models without an engine immobilizer to be tampered with. FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul reported that some cars can even be started with just a screwdriver or USB drive.
Haynes was charged with loitering and prowling, entering an auto - criminal attempt, and obstruction.
The two juveniles were charged with loitering and prowling, curfew violation and possession of tools for the commission of a crime.
There is an ongoing class action lawsuit against Kia and its parent company Hyundai for any 2011-2021 model purchased within the last five years.