Wilmington Police Offering Free Wheel Locks

The Wilmington Police hope to curb car thefts by offering free wheel locks this weekend.

The giveaway will be this Saturday July 8th for two hours between 10am and noon in the parking lot of ShopRite, 501 South Walnut Street.

According to Town Square Live " The Wilmington Police locks will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis. Those looking to take advantage of the giveaway must be Wilmington residents and arrive in their vehicle. Cars are eligible if they are a 2011 to 2021 Hyundai or Kia model with a key start ignition that  has not received the anti-theft software upgrade from the manufacturer."

Hyundai and Kia thefts are on the upswing in recent months.

According to the AP Hyundai and Kia released new software that would prevent easy theft, but a glitch in their formula was revealed on Tik Tok leading to more thefts.

The viral videos show how someone can easily steal one of these vehicles with a screwdriver and a USB cord.

A wheel lock is a pretty simple yet effective device.

The long rod on the lock keeps the wheel in place making it impossible to bend the steering wheel without removing the bar.

The wheel lock itself is a visual deterrent as well. Car thieves need to work quickly so a wheel lock sighting may cause them to move along.

The Wilmington Police urge motorists to not to leave their vehicles unattended while running, or while keys are inside of the vehicle.

Whether it involves warming up a vehicle before travel, or leaving a vehicle running while picking something up from a restaurant or business, police urge drivers to turn off and secure vehicles whenever they are unattended. These simple tips can help prevent against vehicle theft.

Police also remind drivers to avoid leaving any valuables in plain sight, and to be mindful of spare or valet keys that might be left in their vehicles that could potentially result in a theft.

The Wilmington Police hope to curb car thefts by offering free wheel locks this weekend.

Top Ten Most Stolen Cars In Delaware in 2021

Driving in Delaware is no easy task.  Living here in the First State, especially if you're near the I-95 Restore The Corridor project, you know traffic can be the worst!  Even if your commute doesn't take you into Philly or Jersey, it can still take time to get around.

Will this construction ever stop?  It will.  At least on I-95. But, we know a new project will soon pop up.  Like, maybe a local bridge?

So, what could make our daily commutes even worse?  Waking up to find our vehicle has been stolen would do the trick.

The crew over at Car Scoops put together a list of not only the top ten most stolen cars in Delaware, but also in every state across the nation.

According to the study from Car Scoops, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) reports that a pickup truck was the most commonly stolen vehicle type in 36 of America’s 50 states. In fact, in 27 states, pickups were the two most commonly stolen vehicles.

Hopefully,  you won't see your vehicle on the list below.  But, if you do, be careful out there and ALWAYS lock your doors.

Thefts in 2021:  27

Thefts in 2021: 28

Thefts in 2021:  31

Thefts in 2021:  32

Thefts in 2021:  34

Thefts in 2021:  2005

Thefts in 2021:  35

Thefts in 2021:  41

Thefts in 2021: 55

Thefts in 2021:  58

Thefts in 2021:  2013