KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knoxville Police Department responded to a crash outside the Shoney's on North Broadway on Tuesday.
According to Scott Erland, a spokesperson with KPD, at around 11:30 a.m., KPD officers spotted a stolen car and attempted to stop it. The car, however, did not stop and sped away, crashing in the parking lot of the Shoney’s.
After the crash, multiple people from the car ran. Police officers eventually detained the three individuals who fled, KPD said.
It was initially reported that a fourth person possibly ran from the car and efforts were made to find that individual. However, no one was found and it is unclear if any involved individuals are unaccounted for at this time.
No other cars were involved in the crash, according to KPD.
The vehicle appears to have been a Kia Soul. KPD said it has been seeing a rash of Kia and Hyundai cars being stolen across the city and nationally recently after social media videos surfaced showing people how to break into and start certain models.
KPD Detective Brian Foulks told 10News in an interview recently that the social media videos increased awareness about the security vulnerabilities of specific vehicle models.
The models of Kias and Hyundais most at risk of being stolen are those with key ignitions. Many models with key ignitions don't have immobilizers, which activate automatically when a vehicle is switched off. It also prevents moving or starting up a car without a key. The models with keyless or push-button ignitions also have built-in theft-prevention measures.
Foulks also said there are things most drivers can do to lower the risk of their car being stolen, especially if they drive a Kia or Hyundai. They can park under cameras and in well-lit areas, where plenty of traffic is visible. People can also use anti-theft devices, such as an engine immobilizer. Car owners can also put in a GPS tracking device.
Drivers should make sure not to leave their keys in the car and to lock the doors when they leave. People also should not leave valuables inside their cars.
Foulks said most cars are stolen by teens. He said it's not just one person, or one group targeting cars — it's multiple people. Foulks said if thieves are caught, the consequences are serious.
"They tend to target places like apartment complexes or denser neighborhoods, where there are multiple vehicles. So, they get more bang for their buck when they go in," said Foulks. "They may not always be successful on one vehicle, so they like having two or three there. So, we'll have like an attempted theft and then a theft at an apartment complex, for example."