Fond du Lac car thief captured moments after stealing car

A car thief who stole a car in the city of Fond du Lac was quickly caught by Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Deputies Sunday night, December 17, 2023.

A deputy observed a driver of a Kia Soul speeding at about 80 miles per hour southbound on Martin Avenue in the city of Fond du Lac about 9:30 Sunday night. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver continued at a high rate of speed.

The pursuit turned southbound onto Highway 151 and after about a mile, the driver pulled over, between Main and Hickory Streets. A high risk stop was performed
and the driver of the vehicle was taken into custody without incident.

The driver told the officer he had just stole the vehicle in the City of Fond du Lac. The officer noted the car appeared to be hot wired and a call to the registered owner confirmed it was stolen.

The driver of the stolen vehicle, who was reported to be 14-years-old, has been charged with eluding an officer and car theft.

Here is a statement put out by the Fond du Lac Sheriff’s Office on the matter,

Last night a deputy spotted a Kia Soul driving at a high rate of speed and swerving vigorously back and forth down Martin Avenue. This driving behavior was representative of the auto theft activity of a group calling themselves “Kia Boys” or “Kia Boyz” who specifically target certain Kia and Hyundai vehicles for theft due to a known vulnerability that allows a thief to quickly hotwire and steal vehicles built by those two specific manufacturers. At the end of this pursuit it was determined this 14 year old juvenile who recently moved here from Chicago had stolen the vehicle and was the driver involved in the pursuit. Unlike many big cities throughout the country who are experiencing a significant increase in Kia Boys thefts, we are not experiencing the same spike here. However, it’s important for residents who own these vehicles to be aware of the risks and research ways to further protect your vehicles from potential theft by contacting your dealership for options or purchasing aftermarket anti-theft devices.