Howard County Kia and Hyundai owners can get free help protecting their cars from theft, with a AirTag/SmartTag giveaway from the Howard County Police Department this weekend.
The giveaway event will take place on Sunday, Dec. 10, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Howard County Police Department Headquarters/Northern District Station in Ellicott City.
According to the Howard County Police Crime Dashboard, motor vehicle thefts have more than doubled in 2023 over the same period in 2022 for the time period numbers have been compiled. From Jan. 1, 2022 to Nov. 2, 2022, there were 356 motor vehicle thefts in Howard County. For that same period in 2023, there were 890 motor vehicle thefts reported. (Numbers are for vehicle thefts in general, not specific to Hyundai and Kia vehicles.)
To receive a free Apple AirTag or Samsung Galaxy SmartTag, you must be a Howard County resident, and provide proof of residency in the form of a valid driver’s license and registration (or other proof of residency if your license and registration do not read Howard County). Any Howard County resident who owns a Kia or Hyundai vehicle, any year or make, is eligible for this giveaway.
The tracking device becomes the property of the car owner but may only be used for the intended purpose of tracking a stolen vehicle. The FAQ section of the Howard County website on preventing auto theft of Hyundai and Kia models notes that the police cannot track the car’s location while you are driving it and will not track any vehicle without the owner’s knowledge and consent.
“These tracking devices are intended to aid in locating and recovering stolen vehicles. Police do not have the ability to access location information. Residents are instructed to call 911 if their vehicle is stolen and provide information to police,” reads the Facebook event page.
There will also be a limited number of steering wheel locks available at the event. These, and the Airtags/SmartTags, will be available while supplies last.
Funding for this initiative was provided by a grant from the Maryland Vehicle Theft Prevention Council.
To learn more about Howard County’s initiative to prevent auto theft of Hyundai and Kia model cars, click this link.
The Howard County Police Department Headquarters/Northern District Station is located at 3410 Court House Drive in Ellicott City.
